Shinigami Prototype: Game of Shadows
by Jason Grace son of zues
Summary: ALEX MERCER is dead, and NYZ is alive. feeling the past can be left behind, james heller moves himself and maya to karakura town. but things are not over. the past is rising, along with recent histroy, and some over 1000 years old, are stirring. and ALEX MERCER and james heller weren't the only wielders of blacklight, nor are they the most powerful. soon, everything will change.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Okay reader's here's book 2! For those of you just joining us, this is book two of my story and I highly recommend you read book one, Shinigami prototype, before reading this, or this will make no sense to you. For those of you who have read it, I hope you enjoy this book just as much as book 1! I'm sorry if the first few chapters a little rocky to start with, but it's tricky.**

**I own nothing**

it was a peaceful and quite start to the day as the sun rose on a small town called Karakura town, set in japan. Now, it looks like one of those quite, out of the way places that some people would go for rest and relaxation. If they went to this town for that… they were in the wrong place.

Because despite its peaceful looks, this town had been the spot light for spiritual creatures most people couldn't see, home to people who had extraordinary powers and strength, been the stage for a war, and attracted action and events like a movie star attracted fans.

And this town was the soon to be home of 3 new people in town. 3 people who had been through Heller, with one of them being a young woman in her 30s who was also a hacker and terrorist, a little 12 year old girl that had been through things nobody that age should go through, and a man who had enough power to wipe out the entire town many times over.

In order, these people were Dana mercer, Maya Heller, and James Heller.

These people had been through things with the heroes of this town, namely Ichigo, Orihime, Rukia, Renji, chad, Uryū, and almost the entire soul society captains, all in what used to be New York city, but had become NYZ, or New York Zero, after being ravaged by the infamous Blacklight virus, released and controlled by who used to be the most wanted person in the world. The monster that was Alex Mercer.

After Heller and the heroes of this town had managed to cut, claw, bash, and otherwise fight through that hell, going against things that people only see in their darkest nightmares, and going through what most Shinigami will never go through in their considerably long life spans, they had defeated Alex mercer, and then Heller, Maya, and Dana had left that ravaged city, and their past, behind in order to move ahead in a bright and shining future. Or so they hoped.

And speaking of James Heller, he was just doing what had become his morning routine, which was going for a walk around the town, enjoying the peace and quiet of the morning. Heller's clothes were the same as always, a black coat with a red flame design and a red cross on the back, combat jeans, steel toed boots, and black fingerless gloves. The only thing that had changed was his eyes. those eyes that had almost always been full of pain, anger, and hatred were now calm and relax as Heller walked, listening to the birds sing and the wind blow while enjoying the sun.

After Heller had killed Alex mercer and decided to make his feelings known to soul society, he had decided to relocate Maya and himself to a smaller more quite place, seeing as New York was too full of painful memories, and not wanting to lose touch with his friends, had decided Karakura town would be perfect. He currently didn't have a home for himself and Maya, and Dana was also looking for a place, but Kisuke Urahara was being generous and letting them stay at his place in his shop and also helping Heller look for a place. Maya didn't complain in the least, finding Kisuke very funny,, Kisuke's 'employee' and friend Tessai very friendly, and getting along well with the other 2 children who lived there.

Heller felt something shift on a far edge of town, moving forward slowly towards the center. He recognized the spirit energy to be that of a hollow. He sighed and thought _"great, just when this was going to be a good morning."_

Heller flash stepped to the location, standing in midair above the town to get a better look at it. He spotted the hollow slowly moving and looking around for prey. It was a medium sized one, and it resembled a cross between a hawk and human, with the hands and feet having claws, the body a feathered appearance, and having a curved mask, and two white eagle wings growing out of its back. The hollow had the standard hole in the chest, a black hole with a stark contrast between the white of its body.

Heller whistled, drawing the attention of the hollow. He said "I never get why you hollows come here. I get there's a lot of spirit energy, but can't you find some other place? I'm tired of having my morning ruined from fighting you guys."

The reply of the hollow was to shirk loudly, then flap it's wings as it flew towards Heller, it's claws at the ready. Heller didn't go anything besides stand there with his arms crossed. When the hollow got close enough, it slashed its claws, ready to tear into Heller.

Only just before it connected, Heller vanished. He didn't blur of anything, just vanished, causing the hollow to stop in confusion.

"Sorry, but you're not worth my time."

The hollow spun around, only for Heller to slash through its mask with his blade arm, he blade cutting through the mask as easily as a knife through wet tissue paper. The hollows body collapsed and fell towards the ground, its body turning into dust as the soul was purified and sent to soul society.

Heller sighed, shifting his blade arm back to normal, then he clenched his hand and looked around, letting his senses expand to search for more hollows. He didn't find any, so he decided that he'd head back to the shop. He stopped as he thought a flicker of something behind him and whirled around, but he didn't see a thing, just clear skies. Still, he felt uneasy.

He flash stepped back, appearing in front of the small store, which read "Urahara Shop" in Japanese. It was one of those small shops that you could walk right by and not even noticed, but it was a decent store, and doubled in selling items to Shinigami that came to the human world. Just as Heller reached out to open the door, he heard a crash from inside and the sound of a young boy yelling, "dang it, we just go those Ururu! Be more careful!"

"_Not again."_

Heller opened the door to see two children, both around Maya's age, one of them a boy with red hair, wearing a white t-shirt with the Urahara Shop logo printed on the front and blue three-quarter length trousers, the bottoms of which were noticeably turned up. The other was a small girl with a perpetual blush on her cheeks who was wearing a white t-shirt with the Urahara Shop logo in pink print and a knee-length, pink skirt with white dots. She had round purple eyes and long, black hair with a purple tint. It was parted down the middle, with two strands of her bangs in the middle of her face, opposing each other. The rest of her hair was in pigtails with pink ties holding them. She looked a little older then the boy, maybe 1 or 2 years.

The boy was waving his arms saying "clean this up; we don't need customers thinking this place is a pig sty!"

The girl was on her knees and cleaning up what looked like some small round white balls, all rolling across the floor, which Heller recognized as soul pills. Deciding to help out, he closed the door unnoticed, since the two children were too busy to notice him, then he flash stepped, picking up all of the soul pill's, at least 40 or 50, and holding them in his arms, then dropping them into the box that had fell over. The girl and boy blinked, not sure what just happened, until Heller said "Jinta."

The boy froze, and then turned his head to see Heller picking up the box and glaring at Jinta as he said "what have I told you about bullying Ururu?"

Jinta swallowed, and then said "that I should be nicer to her and not so mean?"

"There you go."

Heller put the box in the back room, setting it down then he went back to the front, and saw Jinta had gone outside, leaving Ururu alone inside. Heller got down on a knee in front of Ururu, who looked down at the ground, and put a hand on her shoulder and said "you okay?"

She nodded, saying in a quite shy voice, "I'm sorry."

Heller chuckled, and said "don't be. Accidents happen. And you shouldn't let Jinta push you around so much. Okay?"

Ururu nodded, and Heller rubbed her head. Then he stood up and asked "have you seen Kisuke and Tessai?"

She nodded and said "they said they were going out for a little while, something about taking Maya to the park."

Heller nodded, knowing she adored Tessai and Kisuke, and then he asked, "what about Dana?"

"She went to look for a job a little after you left."

Ever since Dana had moved to Karakura town with them, she had been trying to find a means of supporting herself. Now, being a wanted terrorist made it a little difficult, but Kisuke had managed to create an entire new identity for her, along with legal references that would work fine to get any job she wanted.

Heller nodded again, then said "I'm going to head to Ichigo's for a minute. Will you be okay here?"

Ururu nodded and Heller rubbed her head one more time before flash stepping to Ichigo's house. He stopped in front, looking at it as he felt a little nostalgic for some reason. The house was right next to the clinic that the family ran, while the house was two stories ad fairly average. Heller walked to the door and was about to ring the doorbell when he heard "GOOOOD MORNING ICHI…. AAHH!"

Recognizing that sound, Heller looked up just in time to see a middle age man come flying out the second story window and quickly shouted, turning around in time to grab the window sill and hang on, trying to pull himself back in. he heard Ichigo grumble through the window "stupid old goat."

"Some things will never cease to amaze me." Heller muttered as he rang the doorbell. He heard a young girl shouted "one minute."

Heller waited, looking around a little bit, then he heard the sound of the lock opening and the door opened, showing Ichigo's sister, Yuzu Kurosaki. Yuzu had short light brown hair, similar in color to her mother Masaki Kurosaki, with short bangs hanging over the right side of her forehead. She was wearing a red hairclip on the left side of her head; her eyes a dark brown color and appear much softer than her sister Karin's. Currently she was wearing a white apron and a spatula.

"James! Good to see you." Yuzu cried as she hugged him. Heller rubbed the top of her head and said "good to see you too. I came to talk to Ichigo, is he in?" "_Like I need to ask,"_ he added as an afterthought, though not out loud.

"Yes, he'll be down in a minute. Come in, please."

"Thank you."

Heller followed Yuzu through to the kitchen; where sitting at the table and drinking some water was Karin, Yuzu's sister and fraternal twin. Karin had large, dark grey eyes and black hair that was straight and cropped to hang around her face, just above her shoulders. More often than not, Heller had seen her in sportswear, with alternative shirts and trainers, giving her a tomboy appearance.

Karin put down her cup and wiped her mouth on her arm as she said "Heller. What brings you by?"

"Oh, just wanted to talk to Ichigo about something. How're you doing?"

Karin shrugged. "Can't complain I guess, but soccer season is over and my friends aren't enough of a challenge, so I don't have much to do."

Heller didn't know what to say, but fortunately was saved from having to as Yuzu yelled up the stairs, "Ichigo, James is here. Also breakfast is ready."

Ichigo walked down the stairs in a white t-shirt, black jeans and leather jacket, and some tennis shoes. He rubbed Yuzu's head and said "thanks Yuzu. Thanks for making breakfast too."

Yuzu smiled happily as she went to set the table. Ichigo held out his hand and said "yo, what's up?"

Heller high fived Ichigo, their now normal greeting as Heller said "just checking up. Took out a hollow this morning and thought that you might like to know. Also something else."

Ichigo raised his eye brow and said "and that is…?"

Heller looked at Karin and Yuzu and said "let's talk in the living room."

Once they went there, and Heller sat down, he said "have you seen anything, or heard anything about me from soul society?"

Ichigo shook his head, saying "nothing recently, but I can tell you this, soul society got the message you gave them loud and clear. But that's not the real reason you're here, is it?" knowing that troubled look his eyes.

Heller sighed and said "after I took out that hollow from this morning, I was letting my senses spread out when I thought I felt a flicker behind me. But when I looked, there was nothing there."

Ichigo said carefully, "do you think you might be a little paranoid? I mean, you'd have every reason to after what happened in NYZ."

Heller shook his head and said "much as I'd like to believe that, I just can't get there. I think there is something, but whatever it is slips around my senses. I just wanted to warn you, just in case."

Ichigo felt like sometimes trouble had set a price on his head, just for kicks, but he knew that ever since he had become a Shinigami, things were never normal anymore. But then again, if things were normal, they would quickly get boring. Might as well accept what was and move on.

"Ichigo? You coming to eat?"

Ichigo turned and said "one minute Yuzu." Then he turned back to Heller and said "I'll keep my eyes and ears open, but I think things are fine for the moment."

"maybe." Heller muttered. Then he stood up and said "well, I'll leave you to your breakfast. Oh, and what happened to your dad? I saw you kick him out the window."

Just as Ichigo opened his mouth, Heller heard a man shouted, then a thud outside the door, along with a man saying "I'm okay."

"There's my answer, never mind."

Heller walked to the door and opened it to see Ichigo's father, Isshin. Isshin was a tall, muscular man with spiky black hair and brown eyes. He had thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks. As a doctor, Isshin normally wore a white lab coat over his otherwise more casual shirt and trousers, but not currently. He had the appearance of a man in his forties. He was also lying face down on the ground, not moving until Heller said "hello Isshin."

Isshin then stirred and stood up, rubbing his head a little as he looked up and said "Heller, good to see you. Sorry, I was unavailable when the doorbell rang."

"hanging outside your son's window after he kicked you out of it?"

Isshin looked at Heller, then said "maybe."

Heller chuckled, knowing how Isshin was, then said "well, I'm off. I'll see you later."

Isshin said good bye, then watched as Heller walked down the street, thinking.

Someone else was watching them as well, someone in a black cloak from the shadows, where the black on black made them almost invisible. Said someone had blue-gray eyes, but nothing else could be seen as they had a hood over their face, but they watched Heller walk out of view, analyzing everything about him, before turning back to the Kurosaki house, waiting and watching, all while planning for everything to go smoothly.

When it was time for their revenge against the one who killed Azien, after everything.

He was plotting to kill Ichigo.

**Well reader, here is chapter one. I know some of you might be confused by the time jump of at least a few weeks, and I'll cover what happened at first in the next chapter. second, I will be skipping the Xecution arc, as it won't fit with the story line. 3****rd****, if you think that the name of the story is too cheesy, think of this. Would you have a good name for this story? No? then just enjoy the name of the story, and read it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Okay readers, this is what happened when Heller first came to Karakura town and met everybody I mentioned in the previous chapter. It's just to get that out of the way before I start to pick up the pace a little.**

**I own nothing**

As Heller was walking back to the shop, he couldn't help but remember how thing had been when he had first come to this town. And the incredible things he had seen in that short time.

_Flash back, 6 weeks ago_

Heller, Dana, Maya, Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, and Kisuke all walked through the Senkaimon, looking around as the gate closed and vanished, Orihime having been taken by a different Senkaimon to her apartment.

As Heller looked around, seeing themselves in a room that resembled the front of a shop, street lights outside, while beyond the orbs of light were darkness, he said "are you sure we're in the right place? Last thing we need is for us to scare some people out of their minds."

Kisuke chuckled, waving his fan as he said "no this is my shop. The only people here will be alright with us." Then he spoke up and said "Tessai! We're back!"

Heller heard something moving in the back room and stood on guard, though relaxed, as a man walked through, though he seemed hunched over, maybe from age. Then he stood up and Heller saw why this guy had to bend over. He was at least 6"6, far taller than Heller, and he was a muscular, lightly tanned skin man. He had a large, black, handlebar mustache, which was connected to his long sideburns. He wore a pair of rectangular-shaped glasses. His attire consisted mostly of a white muscle shirt with regular pants and a blue apron.

The man smiled and bowed saying "welcome back Kisuke. I take it the trip was successful?"

"In a way. We bought back a few new friends."

Tessai rose up and looked over Heller, Dana, and Maya, who held Heller's hand and hid slightly when this giant looked at her.

Tessai chuckled and knelt down, holding his hand out as he said "it's alright, I don't bite. My name is Tessai. What's your?"

"Maya." She said shyly, slowly reaching out to touch his hand.

Tessai smiled again and said "well, it's a pleasure to meet you Maya." He then looked up at Heller and said "and you must be her father?"

Heller nodded and reached out his hand saying "I am. My name is James Heller."

"Heller… I've heard much about you." Tessai said, not changing his friendly tone as he stood to shake Heller's hand, but his eyes seemed to scan Heller as he did. Heller let his senses reach out and he felt a good amount of spirit energy from this man. It was clearly stronger then he looked, though he looked strong anyways.

Then Tessai looked at Dana and said "and you must be Dana. I've heard much about you too."

Dana shook his hand and said "something good I hope."

Tessai chuckled again, then he turned to Kisuke and said "the children are in bed, I thought I'd put up a sound barrier to keep them that way."

Kisuke said" good idea. Well, if that's all, I think we might decide sleeping arrangements for the moment." Since he had offered to share his little apartment in back until Dana, Heller, and Maya all found places to live.

"Ah, Kisuke, I wanted to ask something." Heller said. He dug through his pocket and pulled out the substitute Shinigami badge, holding it up to show. Tessai showed no reaction to it, but he did shift a little, while Urahara looked at the badge with narrowed eyes under the brim of his hat.

"You're familiar with how this works?"

Kisuke nodded a little grimly as he said "I am. Why?"

"I was wondering if you could rework it. I don't want you to disable the tracker, but I was wondering if you could change the limiter function a little."

Kisuke took the badge, looking it over as he said "what did you have in mind?"

"What is that badge daddy?"

Heller looked down, a little startled as he had forgotten Maya was spiritually aware enough to see the badge.

Heller knelt down and said "just a little something that the people gave me, from when I went to that meeting."

"What's it for?" she asked, trying to look around him at the badge. Maya had always been a curious child, ever since she could walk and talk.

"You remember how you got that badge at school for perfect attendance?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's a little similar. Something they give people for doing a good job at something, like coming to school every day. They only give it to a few people."

"Oh. Okay."

Kisuke turned to Tessai and said "Tessai, why don't you show Dana and Maya the rest of the house, help them find places to sleep?"

"Of course, Kisuke. Right this way ladies." Tessai said as he turned back and hunched over to walk back through the door frame.

"Come on Maya." Dana said, holding out her hand. Maya took it, walking with her after Tessai.

Kisuke watched her go, then he turned back to Heller, the others staying with them.

"back to the badge, what did you have in mind?"

Heller shook his head, then he said "uh, I was thinking of making the limiter come in 3 levels. You and I both know that I'm too strong as I am right now. What I was thinking was having the limiter in 3 levels, each level keeping my strength about half down. So first level would make me half as strong, second level a quarter, and so on."

Kisuke thought for a moment, then slowly nodded, saying "I can adjust the settings like that. And you want yourself to have the ability to turn of these limiters at any time?"

"Exactly."

Kisuke clapped his hands, saying "perfect. I can do that in maybe a hour or two, if you'd be willing to wait."

"Sure."

Ichigo cleared his throat, saying "un, Kisuke, is my body here? I need to get home."

"Oh it's in the back like normal."

Heller thought for a moment, then said "Ichigo, could I come along? I wouldn't mind meeting your family."

Ichigo hesitated, thinking on how a certain someone, cough, dad, cough, might freak out Heller a little. Then again, this guy had face down mercer and he was 10 times scarier than him.

Ichigo shrugged and said "sure. I don't mind if you tag along. Just let me get my body"

He walked towards the back rooms to transfer back into his real body.

Rukia and Renji stood side by side, Renji with his arm around Rukia's shoulder while she put a hand on his arm, Rukia saying "we have to go back to soul society. We'll be sure to stop by once in a while."

Heller smiled at the two, knowing they wanted to get back, and said "I'd like that, and I'm sure Maya would too. Take care."

With the good bye finished, Rukia and Renji opened the gate and walked through still holding hands. Heller chuckled as the gate closed, feeling hopeful at their young (or was it old?) love. Then her turned to Ichigo and saw him walking back in the room. He was wearing a black coat that had the number 15 on the back of it, slightly faded and ripped jeans, and black running shoes. Ichigo stretched a little and Heller heard his joints pop loudly into place.

"Dang, this thing is stiff. Well, we should get home; my sisters are most likely worried."

Heller and Ichigo left the shop then, walking through the streets. Heller looked around as they did, but seeing as it was close to midnight, that wasn't surprising.

When they arrived at Ichigo's house, its lights dark, Ichigo said "okay, let's get this over with. Heller."

"Yeah?"

"Can you take about 2 steps back?"

Confused, Heller did what he asked, then Ichigo said "okay, get ready for something really weird."

Ichigo rang the doorbell, then sank into a stance that looked like he was ready to catch a baseball or something similar.

Before Heller had a chance to wonder what the hell was going on, .03 seconds after the doorbell rang, the door opened and a man with black hair, moving at extremely high speed came flying out of the door shouting a battle cry. No wait, he was shouting…

"ICHIGOOOOOOOOO!"

Ichigo responded in an instant, grabbing the man's arm, whirled around, then threw the man back into the house at high speed, sending him into a wall that later needed to be replaced.

Heller blinked 3 times before saying "uummm…"

Ichigo shook his arms before saying "yeah sorry about that. My dad's a bit of a nut job. Come on in."

Heller shook his head then walked in with Ichigo. Heller saw a small living room, complete with chair, couch, and TV to the right, the kitchen, or so he thought, straight ahead with the man he had seen lying on the floor twitching while there was a hole in the wall behind him. To the left was a stair case leading upstairs, where he heard a girls voice yell "DAD, SHUT UP! IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOUR STUPID BEHAVIOR!"

He heard another, softer girl's voice complain, "And I was having such a great dream."

"Karin, Yuzu, I'm home." Ichigo said as he slipped off his shoes. He turned to Heller and said "can you take of your boots please?"

Heller heard the first girls voice shouted "Ichigo!?"

Heller quickly shifted his bio mass to recede his boots, leaving his feet bare, as Karin and Yuzu ran down the stairs, Karin in some pajamas, while Yuzu was wearing a pink night dress.

Yuzu hugged Ichigo, bawling her eye's out as she cried "ICHIGO, YOU IDIOT, WE MISSED YOU!"

Karin gave Ichigo a look as she said "where the heck were you all this time?" then she noticed Heller and looked him over as she said "and who's your friend?"

Yuzu looked at Heller as he bowed, in the traditional greeting, and said in perfect Japanese, "I'm sorry, my name's James Heller. It's nice to meet you, ms…?"

Karin looked surprised at Heller talking in Japanese, but she said "Karin, Karin Kurosaki."

Yuzu let go of Ichigo and bowed as well, saying "hello, my name's Yuzu Kurosaki. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Heller smiled as he said "the pleasure's all mine, though I have to ask, who's…?" he said as he craned his neck to look at the man on the floor.

Looking back at the man, who was starting to stir, Karin said "oh, sorry, that's our nut job of a father."

"Oohh. Good to see you haven't lost your strength Ichigo. I can't have my only son growing weaker when he takes over the head of the family."

Heller watched as the man got to his feet , rubbing his head and showing his face. It was aged, like a man in his 40s, with spiky black hair, not unlike Ichigo's, but it stood more upright rather than like an explosion. He had brown eye's, one of them closed in pain, and thin black facial hair underneath his chin and around his cheeks, looking like someone had drawn lines on his face.

Ichigo snorted and said "you just missed not being able to jump me every time I came home."

Karin looked at Ichigo with hard eyes as she said "speaking of home, you haven't been here for over 2 weeks. Where were you Ichigo?"

Ichigo hesitated, then sighed, knowing she wouldn't let this go and the sooner he got this over with, the better.

"Let's go into the kitchen and get something to drink. This is going to take a while."

And it did. Ichigo first explained about the winter war, how Azien had risen against soul society with his army of Arrancar's and Espada, how he had won, then how he had spent a week in soul society training, and then sent to NYZ when the virus broke out. Here he explained how he and the others had met Heller and his story. Then they detailed their adventures through NYZ, up to the final battle. While explaining, Yuzu and Karin's faces went through surprise, shock, anger, fear, and sadness. When they finished, the sun was beginning to rise and color the black sky with the faintest hint of red and orange. Karin and Yuzu sat there, looking at the table through eyes that were red from crying, then Heller said "and that's why Ichigo hasn't been home for 2 weeks. He and his friends were helping me."

Karin wiped her eyes and said "well, that's quite the story. And it confirms a lot of what I suspected when it came to soul reapers, but there's one thing I don't understand. Why did you and Maya come to Karakura town?"

Heller shrugged and said "with Blackwatch and Genteck practically destroyed, and most likely wanting revenge, I thought it might be best for us to leave the country by Senkaimon. Plus, we needed a new place to live, with NYZ too close to Blackwatch and too full of memories."

Karin nodded as Yuzu said "well, we'd be happy to have you here. It might get a little cramped but I wouldn't mind."

Heller shook his head and said "thank you for the offer, but I'm planning to get my own place for Maya and myself, though I think you'd both like her. She's around your age and very bright."

Isshin spoke up for the first time, saying "so you're staying at Kisuke's shop until you find a place. What about school for Maya. Or for that matter, a job for yourself?"

Heller smirked. "Kisuke said he'd help me arrange schooling for Maya, and I'm loaded enough that I wouldn't need to work. Though I might find one any, just to pass the time."

Isshin nodded, then said "well, interesting as this has been, Ichigo, girls, you need to get to bed. School's tomorrow."

Ichigo turned pale. School had slipped his mind, what with death, infected monsters, and other _slightly_ more pressing matters on his mind, but the teacher's would be sure to make him do all the work he missed. Then again, he wasn't 13th in school test scores for nothing. He should be able to make it up.

Ichigo nodded and said "okay guys, let's go."

Karin and Yuzu nodded as they yawned, then bowed to Heller and said "it was nice meeting you Mr. Heller."

Heller smiled and said "call me James. I'm pretty informal now."

And with that, the 3 of them went upstairs to get into bed, but Isshin stayed behind, Heller with him. Once they heard the doors to all 3 rooms close, Isshin said "I have to ask a few things. First of all, how can you be loaded enough to not have to work? I didn't think you were that skilled they paid you that much money."

Heller snorted. "Hardly, particularly with all those Blackwatch and Genteck idiots only paying the minimum to grunts like me. No, what I did was, that when I consumed those commanders and scientists, I also got their bank information. I sold their stocks, drained all their bank accounts, then funneled them into several overseas accounts." (**I have the writer of project ARES 3 to thank for the solution to this problem.)**

Isshin looked interested and asked "how much do you have saved?"

Heller chuckled. "You know how rich Bill Gates is?"

"Yeah."

"About half as much as him"

Isshin's mouth almost crashed _through_ the floor, but he stopped himself as he remembered the kids were trying to sleep. He picked up his jaw and said "and I take it Maya knows Japanese?"

"In a way. When we were in soul society, I gave Kisuke permission to give Maya that knowledge. He gave her some pill that let's he understand and speak any language. The reason I can speak it this fluently is because of all the Blackwatch and Genteck staff I consumed."

Isshin nodded, then stood up while saying "well, it's late. I should get to bed, and I imagine you want to get back."

Heller stood up and shook Isshin's hand, pausing as he did. Then he said "tell me something."

"yes?"

"do Karin and Yuzu know you're a soul reaper?"

Isshin looked away and said "no."

Heller didn't press and said "it's been a interesting experience Isshin. I hope to see more of you."

Isshin smiled and said "same to you."

And with the good bye completed, Heller flash stepped out of the hose back to the shop. Isshin blinked, but smiled as he turned off the lights, saying "Kisuke was right. He is an interesting man. Very interesting indeed."

_End flash back_

And then everything feel into place. Kisuke helped him get Maya into school, the same school as Karin and Yuzu, where they became fast friends, Heller made sparse visits to the bank to withdraw money to help support the weight of Dana, Maya, and himself living with Kisuke, and he spent his days training with his Bankai and hollowfication, keeping a handle on the hollow while learning and exploring the powers and limits of his Bankai.

But despite how things were, very good and he wasn't complaining, he couldn't shake a feeling. A familiar feeling that something was coming. Something big.

Something old.

_Undisclosed location_

The place was dark and not much could be seen as the faint outlines of several people were standing or sitting, waiting. 5 in all.

With a sound like static, the 6th, robed figure appeared and said "done. I've got a good idea on what Ichigo Kurosaki and that James Heller is capable of. We have enough information to move ahead."

"About time! We were getting bored here! How much trouble can a stupid soul reaper and a human be!?" this was the cocky girl's voice.

"Enough. He did the est he could. We must have patience and planning to succeed in our plan." The female leader voice.

They sat talking for a while, planning, until they all stood and gathered their robes, putting them on as they prepared to depart. To crush and kill Ichigo.

The last thing seen was the flash of green eyes as the figures vanished with the same sound, like static.

**Okay guys, its coming. The storm is about to break open and let loose its fury. I'm sorry for taking a while to update, but school's almost over, and final, so. In any case, I think we all know what's coming next, and those who don't, will have an excellent surprise. I'll also explain Heller's Bankai and its abilities in the next chapter or two. Depends on how this takes shape. But tune in next time and don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

** Okay guys, this is the chapter where I'll really cut loose. But don't worry, things will work fine. Or I hope so. In any case, here you go!**

**I own nothing**

It was later the same day, maybe 3 hours after Heller had visited, and Ichigo was sitting at the desk in his room, working on something before he put down his pencil and sighed, stretching his arms as he said "finished."

He had been working on his homework, the load he had built up during his 'absence' long since taken down, but it had taken a while for him to learn what was needed to complete it. Thankfully, the teacher had been willing to stay behind and teach him and Orihime, helping them catch up. And Ichigo kind of liked it when it was just him and Orihime. Needless to say, when the school had found out he was dating her, Tastuki, Orihime's friend, had given him a good talk, while kiego and most of the other male population at school had been in tears the 'goddess' of the school was now taken.

Ichigo looked at his clock and saw it was time for his patrol. He grabbed his badge, similar to Heller's, and his soul exited his body, which fell to the desk, it's head hitting his arm. Ichigo stretched, then said "okay, time to go."

_Outside, same time._

The six figures were standing in the shadows and watching Ichigo's window when he exited in Shinigami form.

The leader said "begin phase one."

3 of the figures bowed, then vanished as they went to put into action the first part of the plan.

_Ichigo_

Ichigo did runs rather than flash step, not seeing the point in wasting spirit energy, but he didn't hear of feel anything out of the ordinary.

Then he felt a low level hollow, way, _way_ out of town, but heading closer. He decided he better take it out before it arrived and caused trouble, and so flash stepped to the place. It was some forested areas, beside which was a lake. The entire place was deserted, besides the wind and animals.

Ichigo looked around, not sure why the energy felt closer, but he couldn't see the hollow.

Then he heard the sound of static behind him, along with the sound of a sword whistling through the air.

Ichigo reacted in an instant, whirling around as a sword collided with his. The sword was long, yet it was also hollow, nothing but the edge of a blade connected to a handle with 3 rings on the guard. A figure in a cloak was holding it, their face hidden, but they said "well done. I shouldn't underestimate your reflexes."

Ichigo disengaged, putting some distance between them as 5 more figure showed up

"Well done girls. You managed to draw him here quite well."

That didn't sit well with Ichigo. If they drew him here, then they planned this.

"Who are you?" Ichigo growled.

The first figure lifted its head just enough for some light to play across the face, and the teal green eyes. When Ichigo's met those eyes, and saw that face, he stopped and whispered in disbelief "_you?"_

_With Heller, 5 minute later_

Heller whipped his head around. Kisuke and Tessai reacted the same way. All of them were sitting at a table for a game of poker, as had become their habit, as Heller said "did you just feel..?"

"…Ichigo's spirit energy rise? Yes. What's going on?" Kisuke said as he and Tessai looked the same way as Heller.

"I'm sensing something else, but it's faint. It feels like a hollow. Why is there one way out there?" Tessai said. It didn't make sense. Hollows always headed towards populated areas in order to find souls to eat and try to ease their hunger.

Heller stood up, his cards falling to the table.

"I'll go see what's up. Wait here with Maya."

Then he flash stepped out, heading towards Ichigo.

_Back with Ichigo_

In the brief time since the fight had begun, Ichigo was already in Bankai, but he was panting and he looked tired, his robes shredded and his skin cut in multiple places, right through his Hierro. He looked up at the figure, still wearing the cloak, while the other 5 were just watching, though often he heard one of them laughing loudly, mocking him as he fought.

The figure in front of him said "so this is the great soul reaper, the one who crushed Azien? Apparently you've grown weaker than we thought."

Ichigo shouted as he tried to slash the figure, but it simply vanished, only to reappear behind him with the sword outright, Ichigo's tendons in his legs severed, causing him to fall to his platform with a cry.

The figure turned around and walked back, the sword rising above their head as the figure said ""now… for my revenge."

And the blade flashed down in a blur of silver to cut Ichigo through his skull.

Or it would have, had not 3 claws come out of nowhere and grabbed the blade, stopping it cold less than an inch from Ichigo's head. The figure whipped their head around to shows Heller, his arms in claw form as he looked at the figure coldly before saying "can I help you?"

Not waiting for a response, he whirled around and delivered a kick to the chest, sending the figure skidding back as its companies appeared behind them.

"Heller?" Ichigo groaned, still hurting from his legs being unable to move.

"Can you heal yourself?" Heller said, never taking his eyes from the 6 figures, who simply watched.

"Yeah." Ichigo immediately applying healing kido on himself, and in a minute, he could stand again, but he didn't heal his other injuries.

"James Heller. I must say, I'm interested to fight the man who kill Alex mercer." The lead figure said, walking forward.

"Who are you?" Heller growled. He didn't like how he couldn't sense the slightest spirit energy from them; despite the obvious fact they weren't human.

The figure took her other hand and flung back her hood. The face underneath was tanned, the skin fairly dark. The hair was all yellow, with the hair of her head having 3 braids in it. He mouth was covered with a jacket collar** (A/N:I'm using the anime jacket. Check bleach wiki for details.). **But the eyes were what commanded Heller's attention. They were teal green, almost the same shade as the sea at certain times, but they glowed with power, and something he couldn't put a name on. Yet it drew him in.

The female said "my name is Tier Harribel. 3rd Espada."

"Espada?" Heller said, now feeling on guard. He remembered what Ichigo had told him, how they had been organized into ranks by Azien. And they were very, very powerful.

"Ha, sounds like he's just an ignorant human after all." The figure who said this threw back her hood, showing another girl, but she had two different colored eyes, the one on the right sky blue, the other a deep, amber color, with a red outline around the eye. She also had short, tomboyish hair, along with what looked like a horn on the front of her forehead, which then reached back towards her neck, the remains of her hollow mask.

Heller's eyes narrowed. "Try saying that again…"

He flash stepped in front of her, or tried to. He was kicked back as tier swung out her arm just in time to catch him in the chest, then sending him flying backwards. He skidded, finding traction again.

"It's rude to just attack." Tier said, sounding like she was chiding Heller.

"Maybe, but from what I've heard, don't you agree that it's best to attack when the opponent is off guard?"

Heller heard another of the figures laugh and say "oh, seems like stark was right, he is a smart thinker. Unlike Appaci."

Two of the figures threw back their hoods. The only man Heller had seen so far had blue gray eyes, along with long, messy black hair, a small faded goatee, and from what Heller could see, something resembling a jaw bone hanging in front of his neck. The other girl was much different from the other; having dark brown skin, close in shade to his own, and green eyes, but they were a lighter shade the tier's eyes. she had a 3 sectioned crown and white necklace around her throat.

"WHAT!? YOU'RE ONE TO TALK, YOU BIG CHEST IDIOT!" Appaci shouted.

"BETTER BIG CHESTED, THEN FLAT, YOU UNICORN FREAK!" the other shouted.

As they started bickering, another of them sighed and said "I'm sorry for my comrade's behavior, but they can never focus on anything then annoying each other."

"SHUT UP, SUN-SUN!" both of them shouted at once. "NO ONE ASKED YOU!"

Heller looked at the figure who talked, where she removed her own hood. It was a fairly pale skinned girl, with long flowing olive green hair, lavender eyes, with 3 pink dots under the right one. She had what looked like a hair clip in her bangs, and a thick furry black necklace.

Heller asked "what do you all want?"

That stopped the bickering of the two girls, and they looked forward as tier spoke up.

"You speak like you know who we are. I take it that he has told you about us?" tier pointed at Ichigo.

"yes." Heller said cautiously.

"Did he also tell you how he killed Azien?"

"Where are you going with this?"

Tier eye's flared bright as she started to explain. "Before Ichigo Kurosaki arrived to battle Azien, Azien battled the Gotei 13. But before he did that, he slashed me across my stomach, then in the shoulder." She didn't seem to notice as her right hand moved to rub he left shoulder.

"When the fake Karakura town was exchanged for the real one, all of us, including stark and Mila rose…" she pointed at the man, then the dark skinned girl. "… Were transferred to soul society. We managed to stay unnoticed until we were strong enough to return to our base, los nochas. When we arrived, we spent the time healing ourselves, then exploring the ruins for anything to help us."

Heller spoke up. "I don't understand. For what it sounds like, Azien betrayed your trust. Isn't it a good thing he's dead?"

Tier snarled "no. because while I survived, I never got my revenge on Azien! That_ human…_" she pointed at Ichigo. "… Stole my chance at revenge! I suffered an enormous amount of pain, all for the day to cut off that man's head, and then I find he's already dead! And I knew I had to get revenge on the one who stole my chance! Who stole all our chances to claim his life!"

Heller felt like he could understand. Not sympathize, but understand. If Alex Mercer had been killed by anyone besides him, unlikely as that was, he would want to kill them in anger for stealing his chance for revenge. But…

"I can understand. But I can't let you kill Ichigo. He's been with me too long and through too much to quit on him now."

Tier laughed. "Do you think I didn't know that? I've had stark studying you for the past few weeks, learning both of your powers and capabilities. And now…" she looked at Ichigo like a shark eyed its prey.

"…it's time. Begin phase 2!"

Before they could react, stark said "cero!" rapidly charging up a orb of blue light in front of him, then it fired outwards. Ichigo and Heller both dodged to the side, but Heller found himself surrounded by sun-sun, Mila rose, and Appaci, with stark and the so far silent figure watching them, as Ichigo was kicked several hundred yards away by tier before he could move out of the way. He hit the ground with enough force to make a crater.

"Ichigo!" Heller shouted as he tried to flash step. He only got a few feet before Mila rose appeared in front of him, slashing him in the chest with a blade she pulled out of her cloak. Then kicking him back. Heller figured since they seemed to know his abilities, but not the limiter, he would go with this for a while and keep all 3 locks active.

The others were surrounding him as Appaci shouted "forget it human. You can stay here and watch your Shinigami friend get killed by master tier."

Heller snarled. "If it's a fight you want, you got it!" as he kicked off again.

_With Ichigo and tier_

Ichigo pulled himself out of the crater as he looked up. Heller was trying to fight sun-sun, Mila rose, and Appaci with his sword and tendrils, but with the limiter active, and it being 3 on 1, he was severely outmatched. He flash stepped to him, but was block as tier appeared in front of him and slashed with her sword. He quickly blocked, but he couldn't make any head way against her. She was even stronger then Ulquiorra in her sealed state then he was in his first released state. He said "listen, I'm sorry if I killed Azien before you could, but can't we just forget this?"

"NO!" she shouted as she got out of the standstill with a spin. But as she did, she switched her sword between her hands and slashed, throwing off Ichigo timing for his block. He took a cut across the chest, but not too deep thanks to his Hierro.

But things were still desperate. He was already tired and in Bankai, but tier hadn't even released yet. From what he had heard from Tōshirō, she was truly deadly in her released state.

As if reading his mind, tier said "time to end this."

She disengaged, then stopped, standing up while holding her blade downwards in her right hand, saying "hunt, Tiburón!" and was enveloped by a burst of water, that first was a heart shape before it closed around her, transforming her into her full form.

_Back with Heller_

Heller ducked under Mila rose's blade, then spun to the side as sun-sun's sai like Zanpakutō came slashing down. He skidded, then heard a whirring behind him. He quickly turned, but his side was slashed as Appaci's chakrams, her bracelets with 3 blades coming out from the outer edge, went flying past like a buzz saw. Heller hissed in pain, then sent out a burst of tendrils from his tendrils arm, while trying to spear them with whip fist.

Both attacks were blocked or dodged. All of them surrounded him again, as Heller tried to think up a plan. He stopped as he felt tier's spiritual energy begin rising fast. He looked over at the battle to see a cocoon of water swirling in the air, right where he sensed tier.

Appaci noticed this and shouted "girls, let's finish this and go watch master tier take out that idiot of a Shinigami?"

Mila rose grumbled "stop trying to run the show Appaci!"

Sun-sun said "true, it's unbecoming."

Then they both said "but for once, I agree with you!"

Appaci shouted "enjoy Heller! Thrust, Cierva!"

Mila rose shouted "devour, Leona!"

Sun-sun shouted "strangle to death, Anaconda!"

In order, they were a burst of red, orange, and pink smoke, obscuring each of them.

This was not good. All of them were releasing.

Appaci appeared first. Apacci had become more deer-like, her body covered in brown fur. She now sported deer-like antlers above her brow, her feet replaced with deer-like hooves, and a small tail emerged from where her tailbone would be located. Both her eyes had changed to amber and both eyes gained a red outline around them, with small lightning bolt-shaped markings on both sides of her face.

Mila rose was next. (**A/n: again, bleach wiki, no input.) **she resembled an armored Amazon warrior, with two claws holding her breasts, an armored thong, an armor-like neck garment, and a pair of boots which extend to her upper thigh. She had gained sharp lion-like fangs, an orange x-shaped mark on her forehead, and a long lion mane with gold highlights. She still had her broad sword, though it had changed in size, shape, and color.

And finally, sun-sun. she resembled a nāga, a female's torso with a long slender anaconda's tail from the stomach down, and gained three more pink dots under her left eye, and her black furry necklace becoming thicker and more feather like. Her mask now extended around the back of her head and turned into armor plating, similar to a cobra's head.

Heller said nothing as Appaci shouted "it's over Heller! If you couldn't beat us in a sealed form, then you can never defeat us now!"

Heller bowed his head, as if in defeat, as his body started shaking. The shaking steadily grew worse, until finally, he burst out laughing.

This stunned all of them, stark included, as Appaci shouted "and what the hell's so funny!?"

Taking a deep breath and wiping his eye with a finger, Heller said "oh, you guys really don't know do you?"

"Know what?" sun-sun asked, feeling cautious.

Heller chuckled again, saying "that this isn't my true power."

They didn't impressed as Mila rose snorted, saying "oh please, if you couldn't scratch us in our sealed state, you have no chance, no matter how powerful you become."

"No?" Heller said. He shifted his hand to normal, reached into his pocket, and bought out his Shinigami substitute badge. He held it close to his mouth and said "deactivate first lock, authorization, Heller, delta, alpha, zeta, lock."

The badge beeped, and then responded saying "first lock, disengaged."

Heller's spirit energy shot up, his energy sending out a blast of air while his aura formed, but the red was lighter than it was at full power, like sunset just beginning.

The 3 of them looked at Heller in shock. His spirit energy was greater than the 3 of them combined. They couldn't take him out now.

Apacci said "much as I hate to, I think we need to bring out _him."_

Mila rose cringed, but nodded and said "much as I hate it, I think your right. Let's go."

As Heller watched, Appaci gripped her left arm, Mila rose rested her sword against her arm, and sun-suns started twisting itself as they cried out "Quimera Parca (chimera)!"

Appaci yanked off her left arm, Mila rose cut hers off, and sun-suns twisted so much it tore off.

Heller thought "_what the…?"_

But before he could think past that, the 3 discarded arms all flew towards each other, meeting in the center and beginning to mix, while spirit energy went sky rocketing. When it was done, Heller was looking at the result as he said "What the hell is _that_?!"

The result of the 3 mixed arms stood before him, and it was a creature unlike anything seen, even among hollows.

The being was massive, at least 15 feet tall, with a white deer skull at the center of its head, and two antlers extending upwards past the mane. The mane in question was a long, dark brown mane, which flowed to its lower back, with a lighter brown fur covering its arms and legs. A long, greenish-white snake tail extended from below the mane, about where the tail bone would ended. In place of feet, it had two black hooves.

Appaci said "this is our pet. It's formed by the fusing of our 3 discarded left arms. And its name is _Ayon._"

Heller got into a stance as the being looked right at him. To be honest, looking into this thing eyes was making his skin crawl, and not normally from his tendrils shifting below the skin. It felt like he was looking into the void.

The being looked around a little, then with no warning, it flew forward at high speed. Heller tried to slash with his claws, but Ayon was already behind him, facing away while Heller felt something pouring down his side. He looked down to see a chunk of his side taken clean out, everything from the bottom of his ribs to the top of his hip bone. The thing took out at least a foot of flesh, all in a second.

Of course, Heller's wound instantly healed, but Heller knew this thing was far stronger then he gave it credit for. So it was time to go big.

As Ayon turned around, Heller flash stepped to him, shifting to blade, then he stabbed the being in its chest area, the tip of the blade poking out after being shoved in, then he pulled it to the side, carving out its side, before he spun and kicked Ayon in the side, sending him flying into the ground.

Heller snorted. "that wasn't so hard."

"You shouldn't have done that."

He turned to look at the speaker, who was sun-sun, hiding her mouth behind her other arm, looking towards where Ayon had been kicked.

"Sorry?"

"You shouldn't have done that to Ayon. He hates being hurt."

Heller was about to respond before he heard "AHHHYYYAHAHAHHHHAAA!"

As Heller whirled around, Ayon appeared again, but his face was totally different. Or rather, Heller could see his true face. And Heller had never seen anything more disturbing.

He had thought that the deer skull was the beings head, but he was wrong. The deer head would be better described as the nose, since the mouth, which had been hidden by fur, was stretched wide open, wide enough for a human to stand in it with no trouble. And the horns of the deer skull, he saw, served as eye brows, since they had raised enough for him to see two yellow eyes, with red iris, as Ayon shouted at him. Then something even more weird happened.

Ayon began to grow. It was just his arm that started to grow, but in seconds, Ayon's arm had grown to twice it's normal size and made his body uneven.

Before Heller could react, Ayon disappeared, only for Heller to be hit from the side, sending him flying into the ground, then skidding and making a crater. But Ayon didn't let up. He went down and started pounding Heller, not waiting for the dust to clear. H kept this up fo 30 seconds, but he stopped when he felt something catch his enlarged hand. He grunted in surprise, then the dust cleared enough to show Heller, completely unhurt, with his hammer fists out as he held Ayon's fist, and the other was cocked back, all his spirit energy concentrated inside it as Heller growled "bad dog."

Then he punched Ayon in the head, breaking it and causing it to explode while the body flew back towards the 3 fraccion. But Ayon's body then split back into their 3 arms, which then reattached to them.

The 3 fraccion weren't done though, as they shouted "KILL HIM!"

Heller looked up as they flew towards him; Mila rose using her sword, Appaci growing claws from her hands, and sun-sun, shooting a snake from her sleeve. But Heller dodged, flash stepping behind them and not facing them as he said "since you honored me with your full power, I'll return the favor."

As the 3 of them turned around, Heller shifted to blade and said "reflect in despair, shadow shifter."

Heller's aura shot up again as his blade formed, and the 3 of them stared at it in shock. Appaci choked out "you…you have a Zanpakutō?"

Heller looked back at them over his shoulder as he said "and it has a very special ability. I think I know just which one to use against you. Turn all creation to ashes, Ryūjin Jakka."

Heller's blade burst into flames, orange and white, as they bellow around him and the 3 fraccion like a hurricane, heating up the air like a oven blast and turning the dark sky into day.

The 3 fraccion all stood shock and panicked at the sight and feel of the flames. They had almost been killed by Yamamotos flames, and had developed a extreme fear of the flames and their power. The 3 of them started to sweat profusely and hyperventilate as Heller flash stepped towards them, killer intent leaking off him like the heat of the flames. All of them shouted and closed their eyes as they awaited their death, knowing they were helpless.

Only, it never came. The flames remained, but they could feel them decreasing in heat and the light shining through their eye lids slowly grew dimmer. When they cracked open their eyes a smidge, they saw Heller looked at them in pity, while the flames had been reduced to orange flames dancing across his blade.

Heller said slowly and clearly, "I don't want to kill you. You may have tried to kill me, and may be assisting to kill Ichigo, but I have no real anger with you."

He let the flames die then going back into his sword as he kept talking.

"I've killed and consumed fields of men, all without remorse, but that's because of what they did to innocent people, and what they planned to do. You don't strike me as those kind of people. So I'll give you another chance at life. All I ask is you stay out of the way. Am I understood?"

All of them nodded shakily, still not sure why he was sparing them. In Hueco Mundo, there was no such thing as mercy. It was a hollow eat hollow world. Either you were strong enough to kill, or you stayed weak and died. That was how their world worked.

Heller turned around, walking away as he said "you have a chance to change yourself for the better. I recommend not wasting it."

Heller looked towards the battle where he felt Ichigo. They had moved farther away, but he felt that Ichigo was using his hollow mask now, which was helping but he was still outmatched. Time to go help him.

Or it would be, if he didn't hear "cero!"

Heller snapped his head to the right, then dodged the blue cero that came flying out of nowhere. He skidded as he looked up at stark, who had simply been watching from the side line. He said "sorry, but I'm afraid I can't let you go help your friends."

Heller stood up, saying "I forgot about you. So, what's your number? Personally, you strike me as maybe, number 2?"

Stark looked at him broadly, then closed his eyes and said "sorry, but I'm afraid that's wrong."

He opened his eyes again, rising his left hand to show the back of it, which had a 1 tattoo there.

Heller chuckled "number 1 huh? This will be fun."

**And cut! Sorry for taking so long to update everyone, but my creativity blew a fuse, since school is now over and one of my friends is moving back to Brazil. So I was stuck in a funk, and now I'm hunting for a summer job, but no luck so far. In any case, this was fun to write, and I hoped you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review and favorite the story!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**I own nothing**

**Okay guys, time for the fight between Heller and stark!**

Heller ran at full speed towards stark, shadow shifter at the ready. stark quickly threw off his cloak for more freedom, showing the same outfit he wore under Azien, except black. He quickly drew his sword and parried. He and Heller traded a few blows, both too fast to see to the average eye, but their reflexes were far from average.

As they kept trading blows Heller said "I have to say, it's interesting fighting someone that can keep up with me that I don't know. And you don't strike me as the fighting type."

Stark shrugged as he kept trading blows and said "I'm not really, but considering Ichigo Kurosaki killed Azien after everything he did for us, I was willing this time."

Heller spun around and slashed at Starks side, but he blocked, only for Heller to nail a hit in the chest, sending him skidding. Heller stood at the ready as he asked "us? From what it sounds like, tier and the other's really hate him. Tier said she wants to kill Ichigo because he killed Azien before she could."

Stark shook his head, but never took his eyes off Heller, as he said "no, I wasn't talking about tier and her fraccion. I was talking about me and my partner." Stark rose his voice and shouted "Lilynette! Get over here!"

The last hooded figure appeared beside stark, and took of her hood for Heller to see her was a young girl, looking a little younger then Maya, but he head was mostly covered by a helmet, which had two horns at the top, though the left one looked cut off. The helmet also formed a eye patch bit of her left eye, with a red flame design above it, while the other eye, which was light pink in color, was left exposed to look at Heller. He saw she had light green hair, arranged in a basic manner under the helmet.

Heller started. He knew Arrancar's didn't have ages based on appearance, but he couldn't see this girl as anything but a child, not much older then Maya. He looked at stark and said "why is your partner a kid?"

"HEY!"

Heller started, looking at Lilynette, since that was the first thing she had said ever since arriving. She looked pissed as she said "I'm not a child! Do you know…?"

"yes, I know Arrancar's don't have ages based on appearance, but I'm sorry, you don't look much older than my daughter. Can you please get rid of her while we fight?" he asked stark.

"THAT'S IT!" Lilynette shouted. This was way too similar to how that stupid white haired captain had treated her during the battle of Karakura town, and she was not letting it slide!

As Heller watched, the broken horn on her helmet began to glow and expanding out of it. She grabbed it and pulled, taking out a white light. As Heller watched, it turned into a scimitar, which was as tall of Lilynette was! Heller's eye widen as he thought "_who the hell give a child the big sword!?"_

But he didn't have time to ponder that question as Lilynette charged forward, shouting angrily as she leapt up to deal a downward slash. But she didn't even use sonido, and Heller was able to overcome his shock to catch her sword with one hand. Lilynette tried to dislodge her sword, but Heller wasn't letting go. She shouted "GIVE ME BACK MY SWORD!"

Heller pretended to think about before saying "how about… no."

And with that, he yanked the blade so the handle slide out of her hand, then flash stepped away, standing 20 feet away. Lilynette shouted angrily and charged Heller bared handed, but he just moved to the side as she tried to tackle him, causing her to skidding on the platform. She got up again and shouted "stop it!"

Heller looked at stark and said "how is she your partner?" not looking as he moved again so Lilynette went skidding again, still trying to hit him.

Stark looked at him sadly as he began to explain.

"Most Arrancar's were created artificially, with Azien using the Hykogen to create them. But me and Lilynette were different. We were created naturally, and very powerful. But that was part of what led to there being two of us."

"You see, we used to be one being, a very powerful one. Too powerful, as it turned out. All the friends were managed to make couldn't stand being around us, since we were so strong, just being with us resulted in their own souls eroding away into nothing. And so when we were one, we were always alone."

Heller couldn't help but feel bad. It sounded so lonely. He knew the Hueco Mundo was nothing but a wasteland, with nothing there but sand, rocks. Really, it was a dead place.

"I envied the weak. If you were weak, then you could gather in as large a group as you liked. So I wanted to be weak. And if I couldn't become weak, then I at least wanted friends that were as strong as I was."

"And that's how you met Azien?" Heller asked, dodging Lilynette again, who was getting very flustered.

Stark shook his head. "No. we didn't meet Azien until much later. Before that, the original being we were decided to do something there was no going back from. It decided to split it soul into the two."

Heller stared, now thinking he understood.

Stark saw the look and said "I see you guessed the truth. Yes, those two pieces became the two of us. And then we were no longer alone. We stayed tighter for some time, then Azien found us, surrounded by piles of our dead friends. Though our power was lower, we were still too strong. And when Azien offered us the possibility of having more friends, at least strong enough to not die from being around us, we decided to accept. And that's why we want to kill Ichigo Kurosaki. Because he killed the man who ended our loneliness for good, before we had a chance to repay him."

Heller looked at stark, at his eyes, and he saw the pain there. He said "I'm sorry. I can't imagine what you went through for all that time. But Ichigo has been a dear friend to me. He pulled me out of my own personal hell."

Stark looked at him, then called "Lilynette, stop it!"

She turned to stark to stop at him, but stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. Stark turned back to Heller and said "explain."

Seeing this as his chance to end this without having to fight, he said "do you know how I got this?" he asked, rising his Zanpakutō to show stark. "I got this after being infected with a virus that gave me the powers you've observed while fighting those hollows. It was a virus that stripped me of my humanity, leaving me as a scourge everybody saws as needing to be killed, even the commander of soul society."

Stark and Lilynette looked surprised. Soul society decided he was to strong, and needed to be killed?

Heller kept going. "And before that, the man who released the virus, Alex mercer, the infected he created from releasing that virus, went to my house while I was serving overseas… and killed my wife."

Stark could hear the raw, pure pain in Heller's voice as he talked.

"And when I came home, I found her body, torn open, on the ground next to my daughters favorite stuffed animal, with her nowhere in sight. And when I heard that mercer was hiding in the red zone, I went there, to try and kill him. I didn't. I ended up being infected, and turned into what would later come to be called evolved. And then I met Ichigo and his friends."

Heller looked up, his face a mixture of pain and grief, and a smile on his face.

"They accepted me. They help me fight my way through a hell that had sprung up in my home town of New York, and help to understand, and even accept my power. And when I found out my daughter was alive, they helped me search for her. And when we found out she had been taken by mercer… they helped me kill him, and get her back."

Heller looked at stark, determination in his face as he said "and that's why I can't let him just die. I owe him a debt as well. One that I will always be repaying him for."

Stark looked at Heller, studying him, then he sighed. He sheathed his sword as he said "you're a good man. A good friend. I wish things could be different. But we can't let this go when we're so close. Lilynette."

She looked at stark as he said "it's time."

She looked at him, then Heller, and nodded, walking over to stark.

Heller said "So, nothing will change your mind?"

Stark shook his head and said "no. but since you told me your story, I'll honor you with my full power and make your death as painless as possible."

He put a hand on Lilynette's head, and then said "kick about, Los Lobos."

And with that, stark's full power was unleashed.

With a blast of blue light and smoke, his form was obscured while Heller felt his body growing heavier from the spirit energy unleashed.

When the smoke cleared, Heller saw Lilynette was gone, and stark had a new outfit. His Arrancar outfit had changed drastically, his upper body is covered in a gray fur-lined jacket over a double-breasted vest, while his legs are covered in dark, skin-tight pants, with gray knee-high fur leggings covering his lower legs, and his arms were covered in gray, elbow-length fur armbands, which end at his wrists. There were ribbon-covered bandoleers emerging from his upper back and disappearing into his upper forearms. He also had two ornamental pistols in his hands. Part of Lilynette's mask had appeared on his head, stretching from the back of his head around to the eyepiece on his left eye, with the flame pattern changing to emerge from the eyepiece and follow the mask fragment around to the back of his head. The mask itself was connected by two chains around his right eye. With fur-covered holsters, Stark's released form resembled a Wild West gunslinger.

Heller looked at him and said "nice get up. I can see and feel why your number 1."

Stark blew out a breath as he pointed his gun at Heller and said "thanks. And again, I'm sorry things couldn't be different."

Stark pulled the trigger, sending out a cero blast, which Heller quickly dodged. He got behind stark and slashed with shadow shifter, but stark blocked with his other pistol, causing Heller's sword to send off sparks, and though he missed it, glow red. He pointed the other pistol at Heller's face, and pulled the trigger, but again, Heller dodged at the last second.

He looked at stark and said "impressive. So your guns cans hoot ceros?"

"yep."

"Can it do anything else?"

Stark said innocently "no."

Heller chuckled. "You're a bad liar, you know that right?"

Stark shrugged.

Heller said "I just have one question? Do you have any idea on what my Zanpakutō's special ability is?"

Stark looked at Heller's sword, but then he looked back at Heller and said "no."

Heller nodded. He had never tried this, but there was a first time for everything.

"Then since you honored me with your full power, I'll show it to you. Ready?"

Stark stood ready. whatever this was, it wouldn't be good.

Heller took a deep breath and shouted "KICK ABOUT, LOS LOBOS!"

Heller was engulfed in a blast of red spirit energy and smoke, shielding him from view while stark looked shocked. Did he just hear what he thought he did?

When the smoke cleared, Heller was standing in the exact same outfit as stark, but a few differences. All of his clothes were shades of red, and he was missing the helmet and eye patch the stark had. Heller looked at his pistols, then asked one of them "ready shadow shifter?"

"Very much, James. I have to say, this is very…_interesting,_ be able to talk like this." As shadow shifter's voice came out of the gun

Heller looked at stark and said "so, how do you like my ability?"

Stark shook of his shock and pointed his gun at Heller as he said "so, you can copy our sword releases."

Heller said "well, to be honest, I've copied a good number of Zanpakutō's, but I've never copied something like this. This is a very weird feeling, literally being one with your sword. But I guess it's time to fight."

"I agree." Stark said, shooting at Heller. Heller quickly brought up his own gun and fired his own red cero, which canceled out Starks cero in an explosion. And that began the tradeoff. Both of them began to trade shots at each other, trying to use their own speed moves to get an edge, but they were too well matched, dodging and canceling each other attacks.

Finally stark leveled his gun at Heller and said "Cero Metralleta (submachine gun)!"

Heller saw what stark was doing and cried out "Cero Metralleta!" as well.

Both of them started to pull the triggers of their own guns at high speed, shooting cero after cero. The ceros raced towards each other, the ceros fired alongside others merging to make one cero of enormous speed and power. Both of the attack hit in the center, and exploded like a firework, with shades of red and blue, and sending out a blast of air and energy as they canceled out each other. Both Heller and stark held up their arms to shield their faces when the shockwave hit them.

"Damn it." Heller said. They were too even. Despite him getting a boost from this sword release, stark knew every move he could use in this state. "Shadow shifter, you have any ideas?"

"I would recommend using that _other_ skill you gained in NYZ. It's the best bet against this guy."

Heller knew he was right, but he had only used this skill a handful of times, and always when he was training alone in the training area under Kisuke's shop. But it was his best bet against an energy user.

When the wind died down and they could see each other again, stark lowered his guns and called "I have to say, it's interesting fighting my own abilities. But I don't think you can win. I've practiced with my abilities for years, while you've had 30 minutes worth."

Heller knew he was right, but he also had one more trick up his sleeve. The only problem was putting his plan in action. He put his guns in his holster and crossed his arms, saying "true. How about a little wager?"

"What kind of wager?" star asked carefully. He smelled a rat.

"Out of respect for you and your powers, I will give you one free cero Metralleta attack, at any power level. Ii won't move from this spot, or block it, and negate it in any way."

Stark narrowed his only eye at Heller, looking for any signs that Heller would break that promise, but he didn't find any signs that Heller intended to. He thought "_if I use a full power blast, it won't matter if he tries to dodge, it'll be too big to get out of its way in time. Guess I might as well do it."_

"All right. But just remember, you asked for it." Stark said as he leveled his gun at Heller. Heller didn't do anything besides uncross his arms and hang them at his side.

Stark gathered enough power and shouted "CERO METRALLETA!" and started pulling the trigger like there was no tomorrow. In just a few seconds, he had fired 1000 ceros! And all of them went flying towards Heller while merging into the largest cero ever. And Heller just stood there, his eyes narrowed against the light as he thought "_wait for it… wait for it…"_

And as the cero was about to hit, while blocking starks view of him, Heller's eyes widened and he thought "_NOW!"_

And he raised his hands as the cero hit him head on. And exploded like a nuke.

_Ichigo and tier_

Ichigo, in his hollow mask and Bankai, stopped cold as he felt Heller get hit with the cero and turned just in time to see it explode, apparently taking Heller with it.

"**_Heller!"_** Ichigo cried, feeling his heart turn to ice. But he paid for the lapse in concentration as he was hit from the side with a blast of water, sending him into the ground and making a crater. He looked up, but couldn't see tier through the dust he had kicked up as she shouted "PAY ATTENTION! I WANT TO COMPLETELY CRUSH YOU WHEN YOU'RE AT YOUR BEST!'

_Back at with Heller and stark_

Stark watched as his cero made contact, then exploded, taking Heller out in a blast equal to a nuke. Starks gun cried out in Lilynette's voice "good job stark. You took out that stupid copycat like it was nothing!"

Stark couldn't help but feel a little sad as he looked at the explosion still roiling in the air, feeling a little bad that he had killed someone who sounded like he truly understood what they had gone through. But if he was in the way of avenging Azien, then so be it. But still…

"_Why did he want to take that attack?"_ stark thought. It didn't make sense. He may regenerate, but that wouldn't gain him anything. Nor would he have released another level of that limiter of his. He would have felt a surge of energy. Instead, he tried to catch the cero. Why?

Starks train of thought was cut off as something started happening to the explosion. Stark noticed it was starting to swirl slightly, but it was quickly picking up speed until it looked like a blue tornado.

"What the…?" stark said, then he noticed two other things. The cero was starting to compress, collapsing into a ball that was rapidly shrinking towards the center and as the energy became more localized, he felt one other spirit energy in the center of it. Heller's spirit energy.

As he registered this, the ball grew even smaller, and it showed Heller with his arms outstretched, but coming closer together as the ball shrunk, until he clapped his hands together, the cero now the size of a golf ball, glowing like a miniature sun. And he looked just fine.

Heller sighed as he thought "_it worked._" He had only used this ability on Getsuga Tensho's he had fired, then gotten in the way of, for the purpose of training this ability, but he had never tried it on anything like a cero. But Heller was snapped out of his musing as he heard stark say "no way. How the hell did you survive that!?"

Heller looked at stark, who was looking like he had seen a ghost, and started to explain.

"I'll give you credit, that blast was huge. To be honest, I didn't think I'd be able to absorb it, but…" Heller looked at the glowing blue ball in his hand. "... I guess I was wrong."

Stark said "that still doesn't explain how the hell you just did that. I don't have any sort of ability like that, and I know for a fact only one Shinigami has a similar ability, but even he couldn't send that blast back."

Heller laughed. "you're right. No Shinigami, that I've seen, has this sort of ability, nor do you. But I fought and consumed the one thing that did have this sort of ability. I've been practicing it just in case I would ever need it."

Heller looked right into starks eyes as he said "the only person who could ever do this was Alex mercer. And since I consumed him, I'm the only person who could also do _this."_

And with that, Heller took the ball of energy, and swallowed it.

Stark said "What the…?" then he stopped. Heller's body was beginning to glow not just with red energy, but blue. And his spirit energy was starting to shoot up at a incredible rate until it exploded outwards, sending stark skidding backwards while the aura had shot out to resemble a bone fire of blue and red flames, Heller right in the middle. Heller looked at stark with eyes that were swirling with red and blue, as he said "thanks for the snack and fight." Then he drew out his right gun and aimed as he said "but I'm afraid this fights over. CERO!"

Heller shot out a huge red and blue cero, easily 40 feet across, and far faster than starks ultimate cero Metralleta attack , leaving him no time to dodge. The attack lasted a second, but when it raced past to expose stark, his body was signed badly and he was unconscious. He fell to the ground, and was about to hit, but Heller flash stepped and caught him, then gently laid him down. As he watched, starks form shimmered, then he split back into himself and Lilynette, both knocked out.

Heller said, just in case they could hear him, "be grateful. That was only about 20% of my new power. I won't kill you. To be honest, I like you, and I think we might be good friends. But I also can't have you trying to kill Ichigo."

And speak of the devil, Heller felt a massive earthquake shake the ground, and Heller whipped around to see a massive pillar of dust rising right from the area where Ichigo was fighting.

"Damn it." Heller growled. He let his sword release go, going back to his normal Shikai, as he flash stepped to help his friend, hoping he wasn't too late.

**Well, how was that? Heller has an energy absorption ability, and enough power to beat the first Espada. But I'm not just going to beat tier. That would be so boring and anti-climactic. And I pride myself and making good fight scenes and twists, so I think I'll be revealing the powers of Heller's Bankai against tier's sword release. Let's see who comes out on top.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Okay guys, time to see who will come out on top, the powers of Heller's Bankai, or tier's sword release. Also, I think I may have been a little unclear about pairings and mislead you will the characters listed. Ichigo will not be with tier, he has Orihime, I'm planning something different. See if you can guess what.**

"AHH!" Ichigo cried as he was hit in the chest and set flying backwards through several trees. He came to a stop on his back, feeling spent as his hollow mask shattered, leaving him in his Bankai state. Speaking of which, Ichigo looked like he had been put through a shredder, weed whacker, and garbage disposal. He hadn't looked this bad since his first fight with yammy and Kenpachi. Ichigo tried to get up, but was stopped as the tip of tiers sword was put against his throat.

Ichigo looked up at tier in her released form. In this form, all of her clothes were gone, as well as her Espada tattoo. The Hollow fragments she had in her sealed state, which had covered her mouth, had become a collar with extensions that cover her nipples. She gained spaulders on her shoulders that bore a resemblance to shark fins, with two ribbon-like protrusions on her back. A thin, spine-like structure had also formed on her stomach, spanning from her waist to the underside of her breasts. Harribel was now wearing a mini-skirt consisting of bones that appear to surround a dark undergarment, along with a pair of knee-length boots and elbow-length gloves as well. Her weapon had taken the form of a broad pata, which resembled an elongated shark tooth, featuring an unusual hilt with a hand guard that completely covered her right hand. The sword also possessed what appeared to be gill markings along either side of the blade. Harribel had also lost her three braids, causing her hair to become messy, and gained two blue lightning bolt markings on both sides of her face.

She was looking down at Ichigo in disgust as she said "_you're the_ one who defeated Azien? Then he was weaker then he appeared. But now, at least, I can take my revenge."

Tier leapt in the air and pulled back her sword as she shouted "CERO!"

As Ichigo watched, a yellow light built up in her sword, then it flashed, as she swung the blade, firing a cero with a wider range than most.

As it flew down at Ichigo, who was too tired and beaten to move, something blurred in front of him just as it exploded.

Tier smiled with satisfaction as the dust swirled, but the smile faded as the dust cleared to show a shield of hardened sinew. As she watched, the shield broke down in pieces that were then absorbed to show Heller, looking up at tier with eyes burning.

Tier snarled as she said "you'll regret saving him, human."

Heller cocked his head and said "I beg to differ. Ichigo."

Ichigo looked up at Heller as he spoke without taking his eyes from tier. "Can you heal yourself?"

"yeah." Ichigo grunted, feeling his entire body throb in pain. "But it's going to take a while."

"I'll buy you that time. Just rest. I'll take care of her."

Tier laughed. "Such bravado. Do you really think you can beat me?"

Heller hefted shadow shifter and said "let's find out."

Then he flash stepped and slashed at tier, but she quickly blocked with her own blade. Heller quickly traded blows with tier, but she was better with her sword then stark was, despite its larger size. Heller dealt a slash to her, only for her to spin to dodge, quickly switching hands mid spin to counter with a left hand slash, catching Heller by surprise as he took a shallow cut across the chest. He put some distance between them, looking down as his tendrils repaired the damage to his skin and clothes. He looked back at tier and said "so, you're ambidextrous." (**A/N: meaning she can use her sword by switching hands.)**

Tier nodded and said "you have a interesting way of fighting. I had stark study your powers for a long time before we came here, but he never reported a shield."

Heller shrugged. "Hollows around here are pieces of crap. Never needed to defend myself against them."

Tier smirked. "Try to protect yourself from this. La Gota!"

As Heller watched, water came gushing out of the gills markings around tier's sword. She then thrust it towards Heller, sending a jet of water at him that resembled a sharks tooth. Heller quickly dodged the attack, then heard a boom and looked behind him to see that the missile of water had sent up a pillar of dust and trees at least 30 feet high.

"Oh, that's not good." Heller said. He had a lot of abilities, but water manipulation like that was not one of them.

"Yes, it's very bad indeed." He heard tier say in his ear, he whirled around to slash but she got behind him and stuck her sword in his back as she cried "La Gota!" again. The blast of water was like getting hit by a bazooka at close range. Heller got blasted to the ground with a hole right in his chest. But tier didn't let u. she kept sending these blasts one after another, never giving Heller time to rest. She then heard the cry of "reign over the frosted heavens, Hyōrinmaru!"

The next water blast was dispersed as a ice dragon came roaring out of the mist from the previous blasts, roaring as it went flying towards tier. Tier quickly dodged every attempt the dragon made to get her, eventually using sonido to put some distance between the two. When the mist around Heller settled down, it showed him looking a little worse for wear, with several bruises bleeding on his skin and the hole in his chest still there, but they were all healing quickly.

Heller looked up at her as his ice dragon came back and curled around him, shouting "you got some good hits in. I didn't expect that to hurt so much."

Tier didn't take the compliment as she said "that power was only used by a captain in soul society. How do you have something like that?"

Heller smirked. He held up his blade and said "my swords special ability is to copy any and all powers of any Zanpakutō's I hit. I managed to copy Tōshirō's sword a long time ago. Never had much cause to use it to use it til now though."

As tier watched, the water from her previous attacks, which had soaked in the ground, began to freeze and rise, forming into sharp spikes pointed upwards.

"Let's see how you handle it!" Heller shouted as he swung his sword, sending the spikes flying towards tier like missiles.

Tier quickly brought up her sword and pointed it at the incoming attack, then said "Hirviendo."

As Heller watched in shock, the ice spikes melted in midair and the water swerved to avoid hitting tier, orbiting her like a planet. Seeing his look, tier said "you may be able to control ice, but I can melt it and make it into my own weapon. Now for one of my better attacks."

As Heller watched, more water began to pour out of her sword until it was easily twice his size. And tier pointed her sword at him and shouted "Cascada!"

The water whirled before blasting towards Heller like a water fall. He tried to dodge, flash stepping upwards, only to see the water disperse around him, leaving no escape as it collapsed, catching him in a sphere of water.

Heller held his breath as he tried to get through the mass of water, but it felt like it was being compressed. Extracting himself from this would take too much strength and leave him vulnerable. So he decided to use a different option.

Heller curled himself into a ball as the water held him, concentrating his biomass to his skin. Tendrils swirled the water under his skin before he snapped his body out in a star shape as he used a devastator attack to send the stifling mass off.

As Heller stood panting, water dripping off him, he heard the shout of "La Gota!" behind him.

Heller flash stepped as tier sent several blasts at him from behind. When he got away from the last one, he skidded to a stop and faced tier, who was looking at him in a calculating look. Heller stood up and said "nice attack. If I wasn't me, that would've finished me off."

Tier looked at him, saying "you're much stronger then stark reported. How?"

Heller chuckled as he said "I have a limiter on myself. 3 levels, each level splitting my remaining strength in half. Right now, I'm at 25% of my full power."

Tier's eyes went so wide, you'd think they'd fall out of their sockets. 25% of full power? How on earth did this human get that strong?

"but…" Heller said, getting tier's attention. "…since you honored me with your strongest attacks and moves, I'll show you something only one other person has seen. Ready?"

Tier tensed as Heller rose his sword and held it horizontally. He rose his other hand, put it on his sword, then shouted "BANKAI!:

Heller's spirit energy blasted out, but it was blue instead of its normal red as his clothes and sword became washed out, turning white while his flames design on his jacket turned blue as well, and Heller's eyes turned from their dark brown to a light blue, like the clear sea on a cloudless day. Tier watched breathlessly at the change, but she wasn't captivated only by his power, but also his eyes. something about them drew her in and she couldn't look away. They held power, but something more, something she found…_familiar._

Heller took a deep breath with his eyes closing for a second as he lowered his blade. He opened them again and looked tier. He said "fire Cascada."

Tier wasn't sure she heard that right and said stupidly "what?"

Heller said "I've only used this in public once, and without knowing my limits. I don't plan on killing you, but I do plan to give you one hell of a fight. So, fire Cascada."

Tier's eyes turned hard. She cocked back her arm as water poured from the gill markings again, saying "fine. But just remember, you asked for it."

Tier built up twice the aunt of water as before firing the attack

"Cascada!"

Heller watched as the attack came roaring towards him, but did nothing except raising his sword in a weak defensive stance. Just as the attack was about to hit, Heller's sword flared white, but he was quickly obscured by the incoming wave.

Tier watched the attack, looking for any change, but it was blasting past just as it was supposed to. Then she noticed a hint of white in the water. She thought it was coming from some light source behind her, but then she noticed it was slowly, steadily, growing brighter until it burst outwards. Tier saw in shock that Heller didn't have a scratch on him, and was glowing with a white light around him. Heller looked at his empty hand before looking back at tier, his white aura fading. He said "that's it?"

Tier growled. "Not even close. La Gota!"

She fired off several of these, but Heller didn't move as they started racing towards him. He lifted his sword and said "reflect."

As tier watched, the air seemed to bend and stretch before a mirror formed, the attacks reflected in it.

"Attack."

The attacks in the mirror suddenly came speeding out, each one hitting their counterparts head on, canceling each other out in a burst of rain. Tier looked at Heller in shock. How the hell was he doing this?

"That's strike two. One last try before I go at it."

Tier thought hard. Projectile attacks seemed ineffective, either not doing any damage or simply canceled out. So that left one option. Physical sword strikes.

She hefted her sword and flew forward. Heller rose his sword again and said "reflect"

As tier watched, the mirror formed again, this time showing her as she flew forward at Heller.

"Attack."

Suddenly the reflection flew _out_ of the mirror. Tier tried to slash at it, but it did the exact same move as she did. She ended up being locked at the hilts with herself.

And if that didn't seem crazy enough, reread the last 2 sentences now.

Tier tried to push past herself, snarling as she did, but the copy was a perfect mirror of herself. She couldn't get past. She disengaged then, and the clone did the same thing, stopping in front of Heller before dissolving like a mist.

Tier snarled "what the hell's going on?!"

Heller looked calm and collected as he explained.

"My sword has two modes, Shikai, and Bankai. Both modes incorporate a copy ability. The Shikai allows me to copy swords and their release, whether it's Resurrección, Shikai, or Bankai, and then use those releases at any time I want."

"But Bankai, Bankai's is a much better use. It has another function, a shield that so far, nobody has penetrated. And the copy ability moves beyond the pervious. Instead of copying sword releases, it can copy actual attacks, then send them out, resulting in a complete draw."

Heller rose his sword one more time, saying "and it has one more special ability as well. Memorize."

As tier watched, the mirror formed again, but this time, it showed her la Gota attack she had fired.

"_What's going…oh shit!"_

Tier had just finished this thought as Heller said "attack."

The la gota attacks in the mirror fired out, racing towards tier. She used sonido to dodge most, but one nailed a lucky hit to her arm. Luckily, her Hierro blocked most of the damage, but she still had a nasty bruise and her arm felt like it had been run over several times.

Tier looked at Heller. This sword was unstoppable. How were you suppose to fight him when he could make you fight yourself?

Heller said "well, I've had a good fight. You're a good fighter. But it's time to end this."

Heller lifted his sword as it swirled with spirit energy, forming a massive wave behind it that was pure white. Heller's eyes glowed as he growled "Getsuga…"

Tier couldn't move as she felt the massive amount of power behind Heller, and could only watch as he swung his sword saying "…Tensho!"

Tier watched as the white wave came flying towards her, whiting out everything before it faded to black.

Hellerwatched as the attack passed by, showing tier standing, but her eyes closed and burns in a few places on her body before she went back to sealed state, pitching forward and beginning to fall. Heller flash stepped and caught her and her sword before they fell, his form turning back to normal as he sealed away his sword again. Heller picked up tier bridal style after putting her sword back in her sheath, looking down as she slept peacefully.

Heller heard something behind him as Ichigo said "wow. That's some Bankai."

"thanks." Heller said, never taking his eyes from tier's face. He couldn't name it, but he felt something stirring in him as he looked at her. Something deep.

Ichigo walked beside him and looked at tier, asking "so. What's your plan for this? Soul society will have picked up that spirit energy on their sensors. They'll know she and the others are here and come for them."

Heller felt himself tense at that line. He wasn't letting that happen. He didn't know what he'd do yet, but they were not taking them.

He'd make sure of it.

**Well. Heller's got himself a all but invincible Bankai, he's feeling something for tier, and willing to fight soul society for her and the other Arrancar. Aren't I a evil bastard for this cliff hanger? Well, I'll try to crank out the next chapter as fast as I can guys. Till then, favorite, follow, and review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Well guys, I hope you've been enjoying the story so far, but I'd really like a few more reviews, since I need your views on how I'm doing. And I know some of you may be pissed about the cliffhangers I've been doing, but I pride myself on those and if I didn't put them in, I wouldn't get so many views on both my stories. Sorry, but it's just how I roll.**

**I own nothing**

Heller stood looking at tier for a second before saying "come on, we got to find the other Arrancar. Think up a plan."

Heller let his senses expand until he found them. Stark and Lilynette were still in the same place he left them, but it felt like tier's fraccion were with them.

"Got 'em."

He and Ichigo flash stepped to the location. Lilynette and stark were still knocked out, but hey were not set sitting up against some tree trunks. Tier's fraccion was standing against some trees by them, looking depressed as they stared at the ground. They looked up at the sound and immediately saw tier in Heller's arms.

"Mistress!"

All of them immediately pulled out their blades, looking at Heller in hatred as Mila rose growled like her animal counterpart.

"What did you do to her?!"

Heller gently set her against a tree as he said "one bruise, a few moderate burns, and I knocked her out. But that's not the important thing. Will you come with us please?"

Appaci growled. "Why should we come with you human? You almost killed us!"

Heller sighed and rubbed his eyes. Why did he feel like this would come back to bite him in the ass?

"All right, let me try again. Soul society will have easily picked up all the spirit energy released here, both mine and yours, and sending people to investigate. So you can either, A (come with me and live, or B (stay here and be killed by whoever soul society sends to investigate. Take your pick."

The girls looked at each other, thinking. Heller was right. If they stayed here, then soul society would send people to kill them, and if they tried to go back to Hueco Mundo, they would still send soul reapers to hunt them down. Did they really have any choice?

They all sheathed their blades as sun-sun asked "Why are you helping us? You know we're hunted by Shinigami."

Heller looked at them with eyes full of pain and understanding as he said "let's just say you're not the only one who's ever been hunted."

Ichigo and Heller got stark over their shoulders while Mila rose and Appaci got tier, though Heller insisted they let him, and sun-sun got Lilynette.

Ichigo asked "where to?"

Heller thought for a minute before saying "let's take them to Kisuke's place. Give us time to come up with a game plan."

And with that, the group blurred out of existence, while somebody hiding in the shadows watched. The figure waited for a minute before something black flickered across their outline. When it vanished, the figure was also gone.

_Back at Kisuke's shop_

Kisuke was just putting Maya and the others to bed when he felt Heller, Ichigo, and several other spirit energies start heading their way. He stopped for a minute as he read the structure of the unknowns, and he recognized the structure of their spirit energy.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked, seeing Kisuke look off in the distance.

Kisuke looked back smiling as he said "oh, just though I heard something. Good night."

"Good night."

Kisuke walked out and closed the door behind him just as Tessai came practically running down the halls. He stop in front of Kisuke and said "is that…?"

Kisuke nodded, saying, "I think we're about to have some unique visitors. Put a sound barrier around the children's room so they don't wake up."

_Outside the shop_

The group blurred into existence as Heller looked around. Nobody would be out at this time of night, but it never hurt to be cautious.

Tier's fraccion looked around, feeling on edge. When they had battle in the fake Karakura town, they had been almost killed by Yamamoto, so being here was bringing back bad memories.

"What is this place?" sun-sun asked, looking at Kisuke's shop.

Heller said "a friends shop. You'll be safe here while I sort things out."

They looked skeptical, but they didn't really have any place to go, so they followed Heller in.

Kisuke was sitting in his normal place to welcome customers with his fan out, watching as Heller and the others walked through. He said "well Heller, made a few friends?"

Heller looked at him, saying "define 'friends.'"

Kisuke chuckled, looking at tier and stark as he said "well, I take it those two are the Espada?"

Tier's fraccion tensed. Mila rose asked "how do you know about Espada?"

Kisuke chuckled humorlessly as he said "oh, it hurts that you don't know who I am. As I understood it, Azien said I was the only one whose intellect surpassed his own."

The fraccion froze then, their eyes widening. This man before them. Was this really…

"You're Kisuke Urahara?" Appaci choked out.

Kisuke looked up enough for them to see his eyes, which were serious as he said "quite right. But you don't have to worry. I cut ties with soul society a long time ago, not to mention Heller is a man of his word. You won't be harmed here."

This didn't settle their nerves as they looked at him. Kisuke stood up and said "well, how bad did the fight go Heller?"

Heller and Ichigo set stark against the wall as he said "well, stark here might have a few minor burns and a concussion, but nothing serious. Tier has some moderate burns, some cuts, and a nasty bruise on her right arm, but nothing unfixable."

Kisuke looked them over and saw Heller was right, and commented "I'm impressed. I felt your spirit energy spike several times, but these two aren't seriously wounded. Bravo for your control."

Heller shrugged and said "you can thank the training I did. In the meantime, can you look after them; I have a feeling that soul society's going to be sending some people to look for these 6 and I promised that I'd sort things out."

Kisuke sighed. Sounded like Heller was about to piss off soul society. Again. But then again, he wasn't one to talk, considering all the trouble he caused for them.

"Sure. I'll have Tessai heal them and see that they're comfortable until you return."

Heller clapped Kisuke on the shoulder, saying "I owe you one."

Heller then felt several spirit energies appear in the center of the town and start to spread out.

"And speak of the devil, there they are. I gotta go. See you."

Heller then flash stepped out, looking for Soi Fon.

Tier's fraccion looked at the spot where Heller had vanished, feeling uneasy. Sun-sun asked nobody in particular "can we really trust him?"

Kisuke stopped in the doorway to the back and looked back at them, his eyes serious as he said "if I've learned one thing about James Heller, it's he always keeps his promises."

He turned to go back as he added "and he of all people knows how it feels to be ordered killed because of his strength."

And he walked in back, leaving the 3 of them to consider what he had said.

_With Heller_

Heller stopped in the center of town, feeling for the strongest spirit energy for a minute. He found it, but it was different then Soi Fon. He didn't recognize it at first, then it hit him. It was…

"_Jūshirō? What's he doing here?"_ Heller thought.

He flash stepped again and appeared behind his group, where Jūshirō was surrounded with 5 or 6 members of the assassination squad of soul society. He called out "Jūshirō!"

All of them whirled around, hands going to their blades, but Jūshirō relaxed as he spotted Heller. He walked forward and said "Heller, good to see you again."

Heller shook his hand and said "good to see you too, but I'm confused. Shouldn't Soi Fon be here instead of you?"

Jūshirō chuckled humorlessly. "Ah, I'm afraid ever since you showed Soi Fon a vision, though she refuses to tell any of us what was in it, she refuses to go within 10 miles of you."

Heller smirked. Seemed like that vision really paid off in the long run. But back to business.

"can I ask why you're here Jūshirō?"

Jūshirō turned serious. He cleared his throat ad said "I'm afraid not. The commander made it very clear that this was private business not to be shared with any one. I hope you can understand."

Heller shook his head and said "perfectly."

Jūshirō nodded and said "well then, I'm afraid we must be going Heller." And turned to leave.

"Does this mission have to do with Arrancar by any chance?"

Jūshirō froze, then slowly turned back to Heller, his eyes wide. Heller looked at Jūshirō calmly as Jūshirō sputtered "how…?"

Heller held up his hand and said "I'll explain, but first, I think this is something to discuss with the other captains as well. Would you be willing to take me to soul society?"

Jūshirō shook his head and said "of course. It'll take a minute to gather the captains and the solders, but I'll take you

"I can wait."

_20 minutes later, soul society, captains meeting room_

Heller was standing in the center of the room while the captains fell into their normal places. The commander pounded tip end of his cane on the ground once, saying "this meeting will now come to order."

Heller shifted, thinking "_here we go."_

The commander spoke up again "captain Mayuri, will you please begin?"

"Of course commander." Mayuri cleared his throat and began.

"Earlier this evening, my scanners picked up a series of energy surges of spiritual energy on the outside of Kaukauna town. The first energy spike was that of substitute Shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki. After a few minutes, another spirit energy, that of James Heller…" here he threw a dirty look at Heller, which he returned. "… , arrived on the scene. And then several spirit energies, 6 in all, appeared. These spirit energies were that of Arrancar."

Everyone shifted and looked surprised, except for the commander, Soi Fon, and Jūshirō. Heller also kept his face neutral, but he knew chuckles would be making a move in a few minutes.

"They apparently battled for several minutes, then settled down, with 3 of them being extremely low, similar to readings I collected of beings knocked unconscious. Then these Arrancar were not killed, but apparently transferred to the shop of Kisuke Urahara. When I last saw, which was 5 minutes ago, they were still there."

All eyes turned to Heller, some interested, some menacing, others confused.

The commander spoke up first, saying "can you explain why you did not kill these Arrancar, James Heller?"

Heller put his hands in his pockets and said "because I chose not to."

Everyone stirred, and the commander said "from what captain Jūshirō has told us, you knew what these Arrancar were, correct?"

"Yes."

"And what their power and threat was?"

"Yes."

Soi Fon finally burst out, looking at Heller for the first time since he had set foot in the room.

"So why did you not kill them?! You know what they are, what they tried to do! You know the threat they pose, and that they therefore must be eliminated."

Heller glared at Soi Fon and growled "I'm going to give you a second to think who you just said that to."

Everyone in the room paused as they caught the hidden threat. Some had enough dignity to look at Heller in a apologetic way, others simply kept a blank face.

Heller looked at the commander and said "why did I not kill them? I have a few reasons. Number one, simply killing someone because of the threat they pose will never be a reason I'll kill, seeing as you saw fit to try and kill me. Second, I like a few of them. They remind me of myself when I first received my powers and wanted to kill mercer. Third, I believe I can change them for the better. Just like how Ichigo and his friends changed me for the better. In fact, they're the only reason I didn't take your head the moment we met, Yamamoto."

Everyone stood still for a minute, digesting what Heller just said, both about why he didn't kill the Arrancar and the threat he just made.

Finally, Byakuya asked "Heller, what are the names of the Arrancar you fought."

Heller said "I don't have full names for most, but there was the 1st Espada stark, 3rd Espada Tier Harribel, Lilynette, Mila rose, sun-sun, and Appaci."

Everyone reacted with surprise, but Jūshirō, his friend Shunsui Kyōraku (**A/N: the guy who wears the straw hat and flowered robe.)**, and Tōshirō all stirred with surprise as Tōshirō blurted out "you fought tier Harribel?!"

Heller looked at him and asked "you know her?" already knowing the answer.

Tōshirō nodded. "Yes, I fought her in the winter war. She was incredibly powerful and a fantastic opponent. When I used my strongest ability to freeze her, she broke free. What was she doing in Karakura town?"

"And what was the first Espada doing with her? For that matter, how did they survive?" Kyōraku said, looking under his hat.

Heller looked at him and said " from what she told me, when the fake Karakura town and real town were switched, they were transferred along with the town into soul society. They hid in the outskirts of soul society until they were strong enough to go back to Hueco Mundo and Los Noches. Once there, they spent their time regaining strength and exploring the ruins. Once they were strong enough, they watched me and Ichigo until they made their move tonight."

Byakuya asked "how did they watch you? As I understood it, they only just went to Karakura town tonight."

"Afraid not. When they were exploring the ruins, they found some cloaks that suppressed their spirit energy enough to enter Karakura town unnoticed. Then they sent stark to watch me and Ichigo to learn our strengths and weaknesses."

Mayuri was looking interested in that sick way of his as he asked "did they explain where in los nochas they received these cloaks?"

"They said they found them in the lab of one Szayelaporro."

Mayuri smiled turned into a scowl. He despised that creature. He had the nerve to call himself the prefect being, a word the Mayuri despised for one reason. Being perfect means there is no room to improve or grow. He believed in striving for better, but never, ever perfection.

Yamamoto said "this is irrelevant. I'm demanding that you hand over the Arrancar for trial and execution."

Heller looked at Yamamoto and said "funny. I could have sworn I implied that wasn't happening. Or do I need to make my meaning more plain to get through your thick skull?"

The commander bristled at the insult and said "this is a matter of safety for soul society Heller. You have no right to deny it would be best if this threat was killed before it could grow."

Heller gritted his teeth. That was it. It was time to let this old man get knock down a few more pegs.

"A matter of safety for soul society, hhmm?" Heller said. He took out his badge, which had engaged all 3 locks again after the fight and he said "disengage level one and two. Authorization, delta, zeta, echo, prime."

The badge beeped and said "first two levels disengaging."

Heller's energy shot upwards as it filled the room. Ever since he had the locks put on, he had been training himself with all 3 engaged, and increasing his power until 1/8th of his strength was equal to1/2 of his old strength. Meaning he was much more powerful now.

Heller's aura exploded out of him as the ground shook and the building itself cracked in several places, and all the captains started to sweat at the intense pressure of the spirit energy, while Yamamoto simply turned pale.

Heller waited for a minute, then said into the badge "reengaged all locks, authorization delta tango."

Heller's spirit energy went back to its norm, and the commanders breathed easier as the pressure vanished.

Heller put his badge away and said "that's one half of my new power. Something tells me if I used all of it, combined with Bankai and hollowfication, then everyone here would die of asphyxiation."

Kenpachi spoke and said "you achieved Bankai?"

Heller said "I achieved it during my fight with mercer. It's what let me beat him. I've simply developed it a little since then. But I think I've made my point. I'm too strong for you to order around, and I'm not bound by your laws. I'm not saying I'll fight you, since I made a point I'm willing to give most of you a chance to prove yourself to me, and that I liked some of you. But I'm saying right now, I will not give over the Arrancar. I believe I can change them for the better. And I'm going to do that or die trying. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get back."

Heller turned around and walked out, heading back to the Senkaimon.

Everyone watched as he went, all thinking the same thing.

"_may the soul king help anyone on the bad side of that man."_

And knowing that if they tried something he did not like, nothing could stop him.

_10 minutes later_

Heller walked through the Senkaimon outside the shop and paused to let his senses expand. He felt that the others were still there, and that stark, Lilynette, and tier were all awake. And it seemed that Dana had joined them

Heller walked to the back of the shop and walked to the living room, where the air was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Tier's head snapped to the door as Heller walked in, and watched closely as he closed it and said "good to see you awake. I see Tessai healed all of you."

Dana, who was sitting on the couch, cleared her throat and said "it's been tense ever since you left. Kisuke filled me in on what happened."

Tier didn't say anything, just watched Heller as he sat down and stared back, seemingly searching for something in her eyes. This went on for a minute, until she asked "why didn't you kill us?" this being the most pressing question on her mind. If their positions were reversed, she would have killed him in a heartbeat, knowing if she didn't, he could grow strong enough to kill her. But he hadn't and she wanted to know why.

Heller sighed. He looked back at her and she saw his eyes were understanding. He said "you say you've been watching me. Learning about me. I'll tell you all one piece of information only a few people in this room know."

Everyone looked at him expectantly as he leaned forward, looking in tier's eyes as he said "I've been in your exact position. Hunted, alone, powerful. Too powerful. So powerful that I was ordered killed because of what I might do, with never a thought of learning about me as a person. As a living, breathing, thinking being. And the people that were sent to kill me, they were sent by soul society."

Tier felt the truth in his voice and saw it in his eyes as he spoke. And she felt like this man truly understood what she faced, at least in that aspect.

Stark asked "so? Just because you know what that position is doesn't mean you know all our problems."

Heller looked at him, and said "maybe not. But I will tell you this. I just fought to have you six left alone and not killed. And that I'm also willing to listen and understand what your positions are."

He looked around the room and said "I'm not asking you to trust me, or even like me. I'm just asking you to remember that I'm willing to listen before I judge. If I've learned anything in my life…"

He looked at tier as he finished "…it's that you can't judge a book on its cover."

He waited for a minute for them to say anything, and when they didn't he stood up and said "If any of you want to talk, then you can easily find me. In the meantime, I'll leave you alone if you want to be."

As he opened the door, tier said "one more thing."

Heller looked back, her eyes burning as she said "why did you fight to keep us safe?"

Heller looked around again, all looking at him in expectation, and said "like I said, I may not know all your problems, but I do know this. I was like you once, wanting revenge on someone so much, I didn't care what it took. I was willing to do anything, hurt or kill anyone, so long as I did what I set out to do."

He looked back at tier and said "but I've changed for the better, protecting instead of just killing. Growing into a person that I can look at in the mirror. I see that version of me in each of your eyes. and I also see the potential to change. Change into somebody you can look at in the mirror."

And with that, he closed the door, leaving them to stew over what he had said. And done for monsters like them.

**Well guys, I hope you liked this chapter. I tried to think about this a little, since I have some plans that I want to put into place before I get the ball rolling, some developing of characters and a few things I'd like in place before I get the real ball rolling. Sorry if you don't like it, but I want to make this into a memorable story, and I can't do that with just pure fight scenes. There's got to be some development of others as well. In the meantime, I hope you favorite, review, and tune in next time.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Okay guy, I'm going to try a little scene that I hope you like, but I'm not as good at these scenes as I would like. Regardless, I hope you like it.**

**I own nothing**

Tier opened her eyes as she woke up. She sat up and looked around, seeing everyone else was still asleep. Since they had decided to stay, Kisuke had given them some sleeping bags and mats to sleep in the living room. Currently stark was still passed out in his bag, Lilynette twitching and muttering in her sleep next to him. Dana mercer was still asleep on the couch, while her fraccion were all asleep beside her.

Tier simply sat there for a minute, thinking back to yesterday. About the human James Heller. Though ever since she had fought him, and heard a little more about him, she didn't think human was the right term anymore. He was powerful, very powerful, if he had been able to overwhelm all of them on his own. And she had seen pain in his eyes as he explained why he didn't kill them. She just felt he had done and seen too much to be qualified as human.

Tier stood up, being careful to not wake the others, as she slipped out of the room and gently closed the door. Thinking she would get some fresh air, she walked outside and jumped up to the roof, but she saw someone else was already there.

Heller was standing near the edge of the roof, his back turned to her as he looked out to the horizon while he seemed to be waiting for something.

Tier slowly walked towards him and without turning around, he said "morning tier."

She stopped and said "good morning. I didn't think anyone else was up."

Heller shrugged, still not looking at her, "I'm always up early. Just my habit. That and I always come up to admire the view in the morning."

Tier walked up beside him and looked out at the view. It wasn't much. Right now it was still dark, just a minute before sunrise, but the town was still dark and cold. Tier said "I fail to see the joy in a view like this."

Heller said "not yet maybe. But you should see something…right…about…_now."_

As tier watched, the sun broke over the tops of the hills and sent down bright bands of golden yellow and dusky red light, blinding her while painting the town with shades and hues that took her breath away. In Hueco Mundo, there was only the silver light of the moon, never the shades and colors that made this perfect picture moment. Tier looked at Heller's face for the first time and she saw he had a small smile on his face, the sunrise painting his face with different shades of brown and red that she found attractive. Heller looked at her with the same smile and said "_this_ is what I come up to enjoy every morning."

She looked at him as he looked back, contemplating his eyes. They were relaxed, and happy, yet full of such sadness it made her chest hurt. Even she couldn't say she knew how deep his pain went. Heller took a deep breath and said "I'm going to patrol. I'll be back in a few minutes." Then he flash stepped out, leaving tier to stand there and look out where he had gone, thinking.

_A few hours later_

After Heller had come back and everyone had breakfast, though tier and the other Arrancar's declined politely, Heller had Kisuke make some Gigai's for them, seeing as they would be staying for a while and Heller thought it would be easier to get through to them if they saw things from a more human point of view. After that was done, Heller had given Dana one of his credit cards so they could get some clothes to wear while in the Gigai. They had left earlier and still hadn't returned to the shop. In the meantime, Heller and Maya had decided to spend part of the day at the local park. They had run into Karin and Yuzu there, and at the moment, they were all playing a small game of soccer with some of Karin's friends while Heller sat on a nearby park bench and watched peacefully.

He heard someone walk up behind him and he turned around to see tier. She had dressed up nicely, wearing a pair of blue jeans, a white blouse covered with a sea blue denim jacket which she wore zipped up to cover her mouth, and some tennis shoes. Heller smiled and said "nice get up. I take it Dana helped you out?"

Tier sat down next to him and said "yes, though it took a while to find the clothes that I liked. I can't see why humans were such tight clothes." She said, stretching her arms. "it makes it impossible to fight with a full range of motion."

Heller smirked as he looked back at the soccer game. "well, most humans don't worry about fighting anybody."

As tier watched the game,, she noticed how active and happy Maya was as she kicked the ball past and around the others, moving with good speed and agility for her age. And she noticed Heller watching her with a calm face, though he still looked sad.

Tier said "tell me something."

Heller didn't turn his head or say anything, so tier took that to mean proceed.

"You have a daughter, and Dana told me you had a wife. Where is she?"

Heller didn't respond for such a long time, she thought he might not, until he said in such a low voice she almost didn't catch it. "She's dead."

Tier jumped as he rumbled that out and looked at him. He was still looking at Maya, but she could see his eyes were red and brimming with tears that hadn't spilled out. As she looked at him, Heller started this story, one he had only told a select few.

"When I was overseas, I would call Maya and Collette, my wife, every chance I got. It wasn't what we wanted, but it was enough, since they both knew I was a patriot, eager to serve and defend my country. And for a while, we were happy."

Heller passed for a minute, seemingly lost in memories. Tier didn't press him, seeing how hard this was for him, and wondered why he was telling her this.

"The first break out happened when Maya turned 12. At first, it started small, not much cause for alarm. When it started to spread, and Blackwatch came, Collette was worried. I told her that I would see her and Maya when I got back from my current tour in Iraq. I told her to just do what Blackwatch said, and that everything would be fine."

"Then I got back, and saw the hell hole that New York had become. There were bodies everywhere, some human, others infected. The streets were sheeted in blood, with several buildings deserted or destroyed. I remember running all the way to the apartment that we had. When I got there, I was in the middle of a quantitate zone. Infected were lying in the streets, and the smell was horrible, a mixture of death and decay. Crows and other birds of prey were eating the bodies, while the door to the apartment building was swinging in the breeze."

Heller paused again, the tears starting to stream down his face. Tier was looking at Heller in a different light now. The fighter that had defeated her not so long ago was gone, leaving behind a man that looked like he had been pushed over the edge long ago.

"I went inside to find the floor slick with blood, and a few infected gunned down on the floor. I ran up the stairs to our apartment to find the door ajar. And when I pushed it open… my wife was lying dead on the ground, ripped open by infected, and my daughters favorite stuffed animal beside her."

Here Heller stopped, the tears flowing thick and fast. He didn't let out a sound, but tier could now see the full depth of his pain. And she knew that it went far deeper than anything, anyone had ever experienced. And she felt drawn to him, since she knew similar, if not as deep, pain.

Heller took a deep breath and wiped his eyes and cheeks as he said "and that's what happened. The rest I think you know."

Tier looked out at the field, Heller looking beside her, until tier said "why did you tell me that? I know that you've only told a few people that story."

Heller sighed, saying "I don't know. If anything, I guess because you of all people know about that type of pain. I can't give you a more specific reason than that."

They sat there for a while, until Maya came running back, panting and ready to go home since the game over. She noticed tier and asked "Who's this?"

She hadn't seen tier or any of the other's, so Heller said "an old friend. She just moved here, and we haven't seen each other for a while. Are you ready to go home?"

As Maya nodded, Heller heard the cry of "Heller!?"

He turned his head to see 4 people. Ichigo, Orihime, Uryū, and chad. The first one was looking harassed, while the other 3 were looking at tier with wide eyes and open mouths.

And Heller knew he had some explaining to do, but in his head, he thought one thing.

"_Why the hell is life so complicated?!"_

**Well readers, seems Heller trust tier a little bit more than most people, and now he has to explain to the other's why she isn't dead. And one person is going to be a complete jerk. I'll give you 3 guesses as to who. Now, this chapter may be short, but the whole point of this one was character development, so I purposely kept it short. In any case, hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Okay guys, time to see how the others react to tier. And I put in a nice twist in here. Don't forget to review!**

"And why the hell didn't you kill her!?" Uryū practically shouted. While the others had been stunned, Uryū was not only stunned, but flat out pissed, and Heller was not in the mood to put up with this.

"Keep it down!" Heller growled, looking back at tier and Maya. They were both sitting at a park bench watching them a ways away, since Heller did not want Maya hearing this. And it was a good thing he did.

"Heller" chad rumbled out. He had changed fashions recently, and now wore a black leather jacket over his normal shirt, while he looked at Heller through his hair. "Much as I hate killing, she can't be trusted. She worked with Azien."

Heller sighed, rubbing his eyes. He had woken up this morning feeling hopeful. He should have known it wouldn't last.

"Maybe she did, but Dana also worked with mercer in the first outbreak, yet I don't see you telling me she can't be trusted."

"There's a difference!" Uryū growled. "Dana is a human, she can change. Hollows and Arrancar's are heartless monsters that will never change their heartless nature! All of them need to be killed!"

Heller glared. Though he was pissed at Uryū, he was curious as to why he was acting like this. He had always been the calm and collected one of these 4 people. Now he looked to be the most angry.

"That is like saying I couldn't change, since I was stripped of everything that made me human."

Uryū stopped for a minute. Indeed, ever since Heller had become an Evolved, he didn't have a 'heart', as evolved didn't need blood to transport oxygen, but take it in from any place on or in their body. And so, whenever he put a hand on his chest where his heart used to be, there was nothing but silence.

"Now, I'm telling all of you this. I know what she is, and I believe better than anyone that people, dead or alive, can change. I made that point clear to soul society last night."

Orihime blinked. "When did you go to soul society?"

"Right after I beat tier, her fraccion, and the first Espada."

"WHAT!?" all of them but Ichigo shouted, their eyes bugged out. How the hell did he beat all those Arrancar? They knew he was strong, but not that strong!

Heller said "last night when everyone was asleep, they drew out Ichigo. The only reason that I sensed the battle was because of my senses and the fact I wasn't asleep. Once I got there, I took them out."

"I thought you just said you didn't kill anyone?" Orihime said timidly. She disliked killing anyone or anything. It just wasn't in her nature to do it.

"I didn't. Just knocked them out, maybe rendered them unable to fight. The most anyone got hurt was some moderate burns and a minor concussion. That's it."

Everyone looked at Heller. Strong enough to beat them all, sounded like by himself, yet the most they were hurt were just a few burns and hit in the head? That was a new level of control for Heller.

Chad said "what happened to them?"

"The others? They're fine. Right now, I'm guessing that they're at Kisuke's shop now."

Uryū said "we need to kill them now, while they're off guard."

Heller growled "We are not killing them. I gave them my word that I wouldn't harm them and I intend to keep it."

Uryū scowled as he said "then don't blame me if you end up with a knife in the back." Then he turned around and stomped away.

Heller watched him go, then turned to Ichigo and said "what the heck is his problem?"

Ichigo sighed. He knew the reason the Uryū hated hollows so much, but he said "I can't tell you. I'm afraid that it's his own secret to share."

Heller nodded. He knew about secrets, seeing as he had too many to share.

Chad asked "so what will you do now?"

Heller looked up at him and said "try and get the Arrancar to see things from a human point of view. At the very least cool their thirst for revenge."

Chad nodded. Heller might be different from them, but he had a way of changing people. Chad decided to trust him.

Heller asked "what were you guys doing here anyway?"

Ichigo said "Me and Orihime were on a walk together, then we ran into chad and Uryū. Decided to come here since it was such a nice day out."

Heller nodded. Then he said "Well, I have to get back to Maya. Have a nice day."

Orihime smiled and said "you too James."

Chad said "I hope you know what you're doing Heller."

Heller looked back at Maya and tier to see them talking, Maya smiling while tier looked embarrassed. He muttered, "So do I."

_Witt tier and Maya, same time_

Tier watched as Heller and the group went out of earshot, while one of them with black hair and squared rimmed glasses started talking, looking very angry. The others looked uncomfortable, while Ichigo looked harassed. She couldn't see Heller's face, but she could tell he was trying to calm them down.

"I have a question."

Tier started, looking at Maya. She was looking up at tier, her eyes seemingly searching for something in tier's face. Or what she could see anyway.

"Yes?"

Maya narrowed her eyes and asked "Why do you have the jacket collar covering your mouth?"

Tier didn't know what she expected, but it was not that. She stayed silent for a minute, then said "force of habit I guess."

"WHAT?!"

Tier looked back at the others to see the 3 new people looking at Heller with open mouths and wide eyes, so she guessed Heller had told them about the fight. Though she wasn't sure.

"What's dad talking about?"

Tier turned to see Maya looking at the group, frowning slightly.

Tier said "I'm afraid I don't know. Your father has always been good at hiding conversations."

Maya turned back to tier and asked "still, do you have crooked teeth or something?"

Tier was thrown by this as she said "what?"

"the reason why you have the collar up."

Tier said "no."

Maya looked at tier and said "Hhmm. How did you meet dad? As far as I know, he's never been to japan, and he never mentioned you."

Tier knew she was in a bind. What would be a plausible explanation?

"I meet him when I took a trip to Iraq on a tour of duty, oh maybe 18, 19 years ago. We talked a little bit when I met him there, then things just clicked."

Tier could tell Maya wasn't satisfied with that. "As for the reason he never mentioned me, I couldn't tell you that. We weren't best friends, just … acquaintances I guess you could say."

Maya knew she shouldn't but she decided to poke fun at tier.

"How well acquainted were you?"

Tier didn't get the question. She said "I'm sorry?"

Maya smiled as she said "you know, were you…?" she clicked her tongue.

Tier stopped for a minute, then her eyes went wide as she said "no, we weren't _that_ acquainted." She said, feeling herself blush.

Maya smiled as she asked "you sure? Because that would explain why he never mentioned you. And how you seem to know him so well."

Tier opened her mouth a couple times, but she couldn't say anything. How the heck do you respond to something like _that?_

"Okay, ready to go?"

Tier looked back to see Heller walking to them, the others leaving while the black hair boy was nowhere in sight.

Tier stood up and brushed off her jacket as she said "quite."

Heller stopped as he noticed tier seemed to clip off that word and said "what?"

Tier looked at Heller, he eyes blank, yet she still had a faint blush as she said "your daughter is very… _inquisitive."_

Heller watched as tier walked away, then back at Maya, who was smirking after her, and asked "What did you do?"

Maya looked innocent as she looked up and said "just asked her a few questions."

Heller looked at her, while she kept looking innocent, then he sighed and said "is this going to come back to bite me?"

Maya tilted her head, then said "no."

Heller wasn't so sure, but he said "all right. Let's head back, the others are probably waiting for us."

Maya took Heller's hand as they walked back. And they never suspected someone was watching them leave from the shadows. Someone that seemed to have glowing blue eyes.

_Back at Kisuke's shop_

Heller opened the door and said "we're back!"

Dana came from the back room, clapping her hands to knock loose some dust from them as she said "welcome back. Kisuke, Tessai, and I were just cleaning the back room. How was the park?"

Dana was wearing some new clothes, no doubt bought with Heller's credit card. She now had some black jeans with a white cross design over one pocket, a white short sleeve t-shirt with blue flame design along the edges, complete with some black and red Nike tennis shoes. She also seemed to have gotten some sun and was slightly tan now, no doubt the result of getting away from a computer screen

Tier walked right past, just nodding hello to Dana, until she reached the living room, where she walked in and closed the door. Dana started at the closed door for a minute, then turned back to Heller with a shrewd look in her eyes as she asked "what did you do?"

Heller held up his hands and said "that was not me. You want answers, ask her, since she wouldn't tell me either."

Dana sighed. She said again, "again, how was the park?"

Maya smiled and said enthusiastically "GREAT! We ran into Karin and Yuzu and played some soccer with Karin's friends!"

Dan smiled as she said "that does sound fun."

Heller said "We also ran into Ichigo, Uryū, Chad, and Orihime. With tier."

Dana stopped, but her face never changed as she asked causally "how'd that go?"

Heller shrugged and said "it went fine, but Uryū seemed to be in a foul mood today. Wouldn't say why."

Dana nodded and said "too bad."

Seeing Maya looking between them, looking with narrowed eyes, Heller said "so, how'd shopping go?"

Maya hadn't met the other Arrancar yet, so Dana said "fine. Got some clothes, and might have found a place for myself. Oh, and before I forget…" she dug through her pocket, then pulled out one of Heller's credit card, and held it out. "…here's your card back."

Heller took it and said "thanks. I'm planning to go for a walk. Can you watch Maya?"

Dana said "Sure. Come on Maya."

Maya and Dana walked to the back while Heller walked back outside. He walked for a while, not really going anywhere, until he arrived back at the park, this time near the river. He stopped and watched it flow by, the moving water causing the sunlight to reflect and flash like liquid diamonds. He loved water, watching the changing patterns of light while listening to the water flow over rocks while carrying leaves in its path. Heller just found the sight to be soothing, watching it flow, like it was carrying his troubles away. He felt someone behind him and said "hello stark."

The person paused, then started walking towards him again as he said "impressive. I didn't think you could sense me in this Gigai."

"You'd be surprised what I could sense when I concentrate."

"No doubt."

Start walked up beside him then, watching the river with him. Stark was sporting a gray hooding that was unzipped halfway, over a white muscle shirt, showing his ripped chest. He was also wearing some loose and faded blue jeans, held up with black leather belt. His hair was still the same, but his goatee now looked a little trimmed, making the hair slightly shorter. He put his hands in the hoodie pockets as he and stark watched the river roll by.

Finally stark said "I wanted to thank you."

Heller didn't look away from the view as he asked "for what?"

Stark smiled very slightly as he said "for giving us a chance."

Here Heller looked at stark as he kept going.

"All Shinigami know of our strength. They know what we can do, and therefore decide we need to be killed in the event we ever fight them. But you… you we different. You knew what we were, what we wanted to do, and yet you didn't kill any of us. You tried to get through to us instead of killing us, and you fought soul society not to kill us at once."

Heller raised an eyebrow. He didn't take stark to be this kind of guy.

"I guess I'm saying, it's nice to meet someone who wants to know us, and…what we and Lilynette have been through."

Heller stared, then he smiled and clapped starks shoulder as he said "maybe not as much, but yeah, I have a good idea."

Both of them watched the river for a little while longer, and then Heller said "so what now?"

Stark tilted his head as he considered. Then he said "I guess that we learn to see things for your point of view."

Heller smiled. Seemed like stark was seeing what Heller wanted, and that was to cool their thirst for revenge and to see things from a different point of view. And it looked like it was starting to work.

Heller said "shall we head back?"

Stark said "sure, I want to take a nap."

Heller shook his head. Ever since stark had been here, he seemed to do nothing but nap.

"How the heck can you be strong yet so lazy?"

Stark shrugged. "I'm unique."

Heller thought "_no kidding."_

He and stark departed from the part, but a certain somebody were watching from a nearby roof with high powered binocular. The figure put a hand to its ear and it said "red crown, target spotted. Awaiting orders."

**Oh oh. Blackwatch has found Heller. And it seems like they still want revenge. The only question is this. Will they take it by themselves, or will they have some behind the scenes help? Just wait to find out!**

**And I'm sorry to say, I won't have access to a computer for the next week or so, so the next chapter won't be up for a while. Sorry!**


	9. Chapter 9

**hello dear readers, i am back! now i have something to tell you.I am taking a break from shingami prototype for the moment. i am not abandoning the story. far from it. but I'm helping my friend write his doctor who story and want to go with that for a little while. that way i don't burn myself out on this story trying to come up with ideas. i need to get back my stride before i get writing this so i dont make a cruddy chapter.**

**think of it like this. once i get my stride back, i can make a great chapter, instead of trying before i get my stride and dissapointing you with a bad one. as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello Readers. I'm well aware though I haven't updated lately but I have a good reason. I'm Having trouble deciding what I want to do for my story and I'm also my friend right is on story as well. It's called Dante Pricmultiverse she jumper the Winter war arc. So I apologize for not updating I Beg you to be patient. Sorry**


End file.
